Ard chomhairle to vote on expelling Ahern and Flynn

Around 95 members of the Fianna Fáil ard chomhairle will meet next Friday evening to vote on the expulsion of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former EU commissioner Pádraig Flynn and three former county councillors.

The vote will take place by a show of hands and a two-thirds majority will be needed if motions to expel them are to pass.

All five will be given an opportunity to defend themselves before the executive but may even chose to resign from the party before facing the humiliation of expulsion.