Fine Gael TDs ‘tore strips’ out of Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor

Outraged rural Fine Gael deputies “tore strips out of” Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor last night at a party meeting after a presentation she gave backfired and saw TDs turn on her.

There were “fireworks” between TDs and the jobs minister, who tried to leave the meeting a number of times.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar firstly gave the parliamentary party a powerpoint presentation on the budget, which was described as “sophisticated”.