Two Fianna Fáil Senators were in open rebellion against the Government last night, with one resigning from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and the other attempting to vote against the Government's own Finance Bill.
Dublin Senator Liam Fitzgerald resigned from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party in protest at the lack of democracy, describing the Taoiseach as "cavalier and unprincipled". Meanwhile, Galway Senator Margaret Cox attempted to vote against the Finance Bill over treatment of the west.
Senator Fitzgerald, who has written a letter of resignation to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, told The Irish Times the way Mr Ahern had set aside the democratic structures of the party in the selection of the candidates in Dublin North East was deeply disquieting. The former TD was not selected by headquarters to contest the election in the constituency.
All the outgoing officers of the constituency organisation stepped down at a meeting in the Marine Hotel in Sutton on Monday night. More than half present left before the two candidates selected, Michael Woods and Martin Brady, could address the meeting.
Senator Fitzgerald said he totally supported the outgoing officer board of the constituency. He said the Taoiseach's decision to ignore the democratic process had copper-fastened a pattern whereby the democratic character of the party had been diluted and diminished.
"His acceptance of the selection methodology is unacceptable and dangerous and has led to a despotic process. I am left with no alternative but to resign from the parliamentary party led by such a leader. His behaviour is cavalier and unprincipled," said the Senator, who emphasised he had not resigned from the party organisation.
Meanwhile, Senator Cox astonished her Fianna Fáil colleagues by attempting to force a vote on the Finance Bill in the Seanad. During the debate, she told Minister for Finance Brian Cowen she wanted to highlight the Government's failure to devote as many resources to the west of Ireland as other parts of the country.
She said the GDP per capita for Dublin was 33 per cent above the Irish average, yet the corresponding figure for the BMW region was 25 per cent below average. She also described the water crisis in Galway as a national emergency and an example of the Government's indifference to problems outside the Pale.
Senator Cox called for a vote on the Finance Bill but was unable to force the issue for procedural reasons when she could not find a second teller quickly enough. Last night, she met Government chief whip Tom Kitt twice but there was no decision about her party future.
