Kenny: No choice for FF

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that the Fianna Fáil party had no choice but to put forward a motion to expel Bertie Ahern and Padraig Flynn from the party.

The Fianna Fáil national executive is to vote next Friday on whether to expel both the former taoiseach, the former minister and three former councillors.

Party leader Micheál Martin said Mr Ahern had betrayed the trust placed in him by the public and colleagues.

“The receipt by a senior office holder of large amounts of money which a sworn Tribunal has held is of unclear origins and the failure to give any credible explanation requires an unequivocal response,” he said.

Mr Kenny today said the Government will be considering all of the recommendations of the Mahon tribunal in a full week of debates, next week.

And he said Fianna Fáil has been very damaged by the findings of the tribunal published yesterday.

"The party has been very seriously damaged by this," Mr Kenny said.

"The party had no option in this regard (motion to expel).

"The Government will hold a full week's debate in the Dáil next week (and) will consider the recommendations of the tribunal."