Probe into document urging Fine Gael delegates to vote against deal

The Fine Gael party is investigating a four-page leaflet which was sent to constituency delegates urging them to vote against the programme for government.

The document is designed in a similar manner to Fine Gael election material and makes a number of inaccurate claims about the contents of the document.

Chief among those is that the document pledges a ban on live cattle exports, something Fine Gael negotiators fought against including in the text.

A party spokesperson confirmed that there is an investigation into the leaflet to see if data protection rules have been breached.

"The document is not an official party leaflet and an inquiry is underway to establish if there was a breach of GDPR.”

One TD said that at least four of their 10 constituency delegates, who will form 25% of the party's ballot on the deal, received the leaflet.

The document says that the party would be "a junior partner" in coalition and instead makes the case that a second election should be called. It cites Fine Gael's low number of female TDs, says that the deal would be a "huge boost" for Sinn Féin and accuses Fianna Fáil of "already trying to call the shots".

Meanwhile, a number of Fianna Fáil TDs say that they believe both their party and the Greens will pass the programme for government, but party sources say that they do not fear a second election.

The party's 18,000 members are currently returning postal ballots on the programme for government, with a number of TDs saying that they believe the document will receive a majority of votes.

One party source says that while there has been considerable hesitation, many members now feel that a deal should be done.

However, a number of "variables" make predicting the outcome of the vote difficult, including the fact that members' names are included on their ballots.

One party TD said that there could be a large vote against the deal because of "long-held dissatisfaction" with the direction of the party in recent years.

"I had one lifelong member with me today who was confused about why his name would have to be on the ballot and why it had to be witnessed. He went away with his wife and hasn't returned the ballot because he says he's not sure if he'll vote.

"Whatever happens, we will have to do huge work on the numbers within the party because the grassroots membership has been neglected."