Clare TD to keep party whip

Labour TD for Clare, Michael McNamara may not face automatic expulsion from the Parliamentary Party after voting against the Government.

Deputy McNamara put forward a bill, not supported by the Government, to give effective trade union recognition to the Garda representative associations and remove a ban on them striking.

The Clare TD voted against the Government coalition but Labour sources say he will not face the normal automatic rule of expulsion or lose the Government whip because it was his own piece of legislation.

Deputy McNamara, however, still believes the issue will have to be tackled.

“I’m disappointed that the relevant line ministers didn’t accept the legislation – I’m disappointed, but no more than that,” he said following the vote.

“If you cannot introduce a piece of legislation, then what is the point of being here? I introduced a piece of legislation which I believe is necessary – it brought about changes which Ireland will have to introduce, both [in] the gardaí [and] the Defence Forces.”