McGrath: A very sad day for Fianna Fáil

The removal of the long-serving MEP Brian Crowley from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party was described as "a very sad day for Fianna Fáil" and a "terrible turn of events" by its finance spokesman, Michael McGrath.

“It has left many of us scratching our heads wondering where this has come from and precisely why he now finds himself outside the parliamentary party. It’s a difficult one to get heads around,” he said.

The Cork-South Central TD was one of a number of people who argued that Mr Crowley should have been given the chance to defend himself before a decision was taken to leave him outside the fold.