Tánaiste admits Coalition tension

Tánaiste Joan Burton has admitted to tensions within the Coalition as she said it was too early for Labour and Fine Gael to consider a pact at the general election.

The Labour leader was responding to calls from a former key strategist of Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s for the Coalition to fight the campaign as one block, not separate parties.

Controversial ex-Rehab chief, and former prime backroom adviser to the Taoiseach, Frank Flannery, told the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Donegal, that such a move would limit government losses.