A GROUP of very disconsolate Labour backbenchers sat in the Dáil members’ bar on Wednesday night, nursing a bottle of red wine.

A new wine list has been introduced in both the members’ and visitors’ bar, although perhaps the proclivities of our shiny and good new TDs might be best summed up by the one who told us, with some delight: “They’ve got Fry’s chocolate cream bars in the bar now.”

Wednesday was two days after Brendan Howlin’s opening act of Budget 2012, when it was proposed to cut disability allowances paid to young people. Due to a storm of protest, the move was shelved.

As the smoke clears, a number of deputies from the Coalition are claiming they were instrumental in changing the Government’s mind.

Some may have gone to the Minister for Social Protection informally, but a group of backbenchers from Labour and Fine Gael sought a meeting with Burton on Wednesday night, where they told her of their reservations.

There was a meeting that evening of FG’s internal committee on education and social protection, chaired by Mary Mitchell O’Connor. Angry TDs vented their feelings about the cut in disability payments.

The Chief Whip, Paul Kehoe, turned up before the meeting ended where his colleagues made their views known.

Eventually, Kehoe set up a meeting in the whip’s office with the Minister and FG TDs Kieran O’Donnell, Damian English, David Stanton, Joe McHugh and Simon Harris and Labour’s Seán Sherlock, Arthur Spring and Ged Nash.

They report that Burton was very accommodating and took their concerns on board.

But back to the crestfallen Labour TDs in the members’ bar.

“Sitting around a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape they were, at €45 a bottle,” an Opposition TD told us. “Some austerity there.”

Further investigation suggests a spot of mischief-making from our informant. “They only drink the cheap s****,” a more reliable regular assures us. “The good stuff is for some of the Senators with delicate palates.”