Burton regrets decision of expelled Keaveney

Deputy leader of the Labour Party Joan Burton has said that she regrets the decision of former Party Chairman Colm Keaveney to vote against the Budget.

The Galway TD has now been expelled from the parliamentary party.

Deputy Keaveney said that he took the decision because he could not support cuts affecting women and children in the Social Welfare Bill.

Minister Burton praised their colleagues who voted for the Bill, saying that said the rest of the party was committed to fixing the country.

"Last evening, he voted for the second stage of the Bill," she said.

"Obviously, overnight he rethought his position.

"I regret that he made that decision, but I want to thank all of the Labour TDs, who, in fact, supported the Government, because in supporting the Government, the thing we're doing, which is hard, is getting the country out of the mess that it's in, getting people back to work, and getting ourselves restarted."