A second TD has threatened to withdraw his support for the Government over planned cutbacks in the health service.
In another blow to the Government’s fragile majority, South Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath said he would not support the Coalition on the planned removal of acute services at a local hospital in his constituency.
The proposal concerning South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel is part of the reconfiguration of services in the southeast.
Mr McGrath, who lost the Fianna Fáil whip in the summer after opposing the stag hunting bill, said he was angry that doctors, nurses and the public were being kept in the dark about what was going on.
“I’m a member of the Oireachtas and I haven’t a clue what’s going on on this either,” he said.
“If the process isn’t reined in and there isn’t an open, honest interaction with all parties concerned then the Government will not have my support on this issue.”
On Friday, Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish also threatened to withdraw his support for the Coalition unless health cuts in his constituency were reversed.
Mr Grealish said he was not trying to bring down the Government but was standing up for what he felt was right and had written to Taoiseach Brian Cowen and to Ms Harney to inform them of his decision.
The threat to the Coalition comes as new Sunday Business Post/Red C poll put support for Fine Gael on 31 per cent, down two points from June, with Labour, who led in a separate poll on Thursday, down four points to 23 per cent.
The survey, carried out before an unexpected fall in second quarter GDP on Thursday, but following a controversy over a radio interview Mr Cowen conducted after partying late with colleagues, had support for Fianna Fáil steady at 24 per cent.
Only 19 per cent of those questioned said they had confidence in Mr Cowen as Taoiseach.
"While the Fianna Fáil vote is stable, the party is on course for by far the worst electoral result in its history, with perhaps 30 seats in danger," the Sunday Business Post said.