Analysis: How Kenny handled his party rebels

The Taoiseach showed leadership and political skill in handling his parliamentary party in the run-up to the Dáilvote, writes Political Correspondent Mary O’Regan

LOSING five TDs over the contentious legislation allowing abortion in certain circumstances was close to what the Fine Gael leadership had, from the outset, considered to be the “best-case scenario”.

Even while it was predicted in recent weeks that they would suffer a revolt of up to 10 TDs, the largely pro-life party, with a traditional, Catholic support base, had quietly been expecting to keep the losses to below half a dozen.