Government suffers first defeat in Dáil vote

The minority Government suffered its first defeat in the Dáil last night after the Labour Party succeeded in passing a bill to protect workers’ rights.

Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and AAA-PBP were among those who voted with Labour to give Fine Gael the embarrassing defeat.

An earlier amendment by the Government to the Labour motion was lost and the formal motion was thus later passed.

Labour want minimum wage increases, a living wage introduced in the public sector and protections for workers. The party have strongly campaigned for stronger protections, highlighting the cases of the former Clery’s department store workers who lost their jobs almost a year ago.

Meanwhile, the son of Independent Tipperary TD Michael Lowry has insisted he has held no discussions with Fine Gael about running for the party in future general elections..

A report in the latest edition of the Tipperary Star newspaper suggested that Councillor Micheál Lowry would stand for the party in the future, should his father decide not to stand.

Cllr Lowry released a statement yesterday which said he has had “absolutely no discussions or conversations with Fine Gael either nationally or locally”.

The Tipperary Star said it had also been suggested locally that Mr Lowry was in line to be appointed a senator by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Fine Gael has no representatives in Tipperary having lost two seats at the general election in February.

Former minister, Michael Lowry Snr, has claimed he has an “arrangement” with Fine Gael arising from his vote for Mr Kenny in Dáil votes for Taoiseach. This has been denied by Fine Gael.

Michael Lowry

Cllr Micheál Lowry said he is “very proud to be a member of the Lowry Team which has recorded such achievement and success throughout the constituency”.

A spokesman for Taoiseach Enda Kenny said last night there was no truth whatsoever in the story.

Meanwhile, a newly appointed minister has revealed how she was the subject of death threats online.

Speaking during a Dáil debate on mental health, Minister for Health Promotion, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, said that her life was threatened during the general election.

“The level of negativity and vilification and viciousness that is tossed at public representatives as if we are figures of stone, as if we do not feel the same as everybody else,” she said.