Fianna Fáil moves to quell dissent

FIANNA FÁIL will this week move to quell growing dissent in the party ranks on the smoking ban, with the Taoiseach expected to give a private dressing down to a dissenting minister later this week.

Just days ahead of the party’s Ard Fheis in Killarney, the party was served a reminder of how contentious the issue will become between now and January when a prominent Fianna Fáil health chief abruptly resigned from his post.

As the numbers of junior ministers seeking compromise on Health Minister Micheál Martin’s initiative grew to five this week, Government sources indicated last night that the Taoiseach would speak to Junior Minister Frank Fahey about the matter over the next few days.