FF parliamentary party backs Govt

The Fianna Fail parliamentary party has given its full backing to the Government's stance on the Iraq crisis.

Speculation about a split in the Fianna Fail ranks was growing over the past week or so, but the party's 111 TDs and Senators united to support the Government's stance today.

24 party members spoke during a debate on the matter before the parliamentary party expressed full confidence in the position adopted by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen.

More than 100,000 people from all across Ireland marched through the streets of Dublin last Saturday to show their feelings on the Iraqi crisis.