{"id":26785,"date":"2022-07-12T12:07:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T16:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26785"},"modified":"2022-07-13T14:10:05","modified_gmt":"2022-07-13T18:10:05","slug":"government-confident-that-it-will-win-no-confidence-motion-in-dail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26785","title":{"rendered":"Government Confident That It Will Win No Confidence Motion In D\u00e1il"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sinn F\u00e9in is pressing for an early general election after the Coalition lost its parliamentary majority last week (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Government will face a confidence vote later as Sinn F\u00e9in presses to secure an early general election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Coalition is confident it has the numbers to win this evening\u2019s vote in the D\u00e1il despite losing its voting majority last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to the Sinn F\u00e9in motion, the Government is set to table a motion of confidence in itself in the D\u00e1il later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That move would supersede the Sinn F\u00e9in motion, with the debate and vote held on the Government\u2019s confidence motion instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh\u2019s decision to relinquish his party whip last week left the Government with 79 seats in the D\u00e1il \u2013 one short of a majority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Coalition is confident that Mr McHugh and several other TDs outside of the Government will still back the coalition in the vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinn F\u00e9in has heavily criticized the Government\u2019s response to the cost-of-living crisis and claims it is also failing on longer term problems, such as Ireland\u2019s chronic housing shortage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinn F\u00e9in president Mary Lou McDonald insists the time has come for a general election and a change of administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has branded the vote a \u201ccynical exercise\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has warned an early general election would delay September\u2019s budget, which is set to focus on support measures for people struggling with soaring bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Irish people do not want a general election,\u201d he told reporters in Dublin on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, we have a war on the continent of Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLast week, Sinn F\u00e9in were looking for a cost-of-living package and an emergency budget, this week they\u2019re looking for a general election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA general election would mean no budgetary package over the next while, and would lead to paralysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my view it\u2019s just a cynical exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Coalition has gradually seen its majority whittled down over the past few months \u2013 finally losing it when Mr McHugh resigned the whip over the Government\u2019s controversial plan to provide redress to homeowners in counties affected by defective building blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The former education minister\u2019s home constituency of Donegal is one of the counties worst hit by the defective block scandal, with Mr McHugh believing the redress package is not comprehensive enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the Government’s apparent confidence, some TD’s are not yet decided on how they will vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Independent TD Cathal Berry has said his vote in support of the Government will be dependent on \u201cthe quality of the proposal\u201d of a pay increase for the lowest ranks in the Defense Forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Government is due to increase spending on the Defense Forces from \u20ac1 billion a year to \u20ac1.5 billion annually by 2028 in what will be the largest single investment in the military in the history of the State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Dr Berry, who is a former Army Ranger, said he would wait to see the \u201cquality of the proposal\u201d before he made a decision to support the Government later today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were two proposals in relation to take home pay, he said. His decision would be dependent on which proposal was \u201con the table\u201d for the lowest ranks in the Defense Forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was on the table was \u201csignificant\u201d, he said – a 15 per cent increase which was really important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Military were the only workers with no access to Workplace Relations Commission, the Labor Court or any form of industrial action, and because of that the Government needed to make a direct intervention, Dr Berry said.<\/p>\n

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