FG TD’s threat to abstain in budget vote

FINE GAEL has refused to comment on reports that one of its TDs could assist the Government by abstaining in tomorrow’s budget vote.

The Government has a majority of just two in the Dáil, and is therefore reliant on the support of Independent TDs Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy-Rae to pass the budget.

But Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton has indicated she will abstain from voting if either of the Independent TDs withdraws his support.

“I would prefer if Fine Gael had an input into this budget, but I don’t believe it would be good for the country for this budget to fall,” Ms Creighton told the Sunday Business Post.

That would appear to place her at odds with party leader Mr Kenny, who has indicated that it is the Government’s responsibility alone to pass the budget.

“They have a majority to push this budget through. That’s their responsibility,” he said recently.

But Fine Gael refused to comment yesterday on the possibility of Ms Creighton — who took part in the unsuccessful heave against Mr Kenny earlier this year — abstaining to allow the budget pass.

A spokesman for the party leader said he was “not going to engage” on what Ms Creighton said. He similarly refused to comment on whether disciplinary procedures would be invoked if Ms Creighton abstained against Mr Kenny’s wishes.

Fine Gael agrees that the €6 billion adjustment is necessary as part of the wider €15bn correction over the next four years to reduce the deficit to EU-required levels by 2014. But it disagrees on the specifics of where to cut.