Coalition taken to the wire in Dáil writ vote

THE Government has had to rely on the casting vote of the Ceann Comhairle to stave off an unwanted by-election.

It happened after Sinn Féin moved the writ yesterday for Donegal South-West, one of three Dáil constituencies in which seats are currently vacant because of resignations.

The by-elections pose a major risk to the Government because, based on current support levels, it would lose all three, thereby reducing its already narrow majority in the Dáil.