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2nd LD Writethru: Enda Kenny approved as prime minister by Irish parliament

Xinhua, May 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Dail Eireann,the lower house of Irish parliament, voted on Friday to seat Fine Gael (United Ireland Party) leader Enda Kenny as Taoiseach (prime minister).

Kenny, current caretaker Taoiseach, was nominated for the position for the fourth time since the Feb. 26 general election.

In Friday's vote, Kenny secured 59 votes in favor and 49 votes against. He got the support of his party of 50 and 9 independent TDs (members of parliament), which guarantees him forming a minority government with independent TDs.

Kenny is first Fine Gael leader to be reelected Taoiseach, while the 59-49 vote was the lowest level of support in the country's history.

All 43 TDs from Fianna Fail (Republican Party), Fine Gael's main rival, abstained in the vote.

During his acceptance speech, Kenny pledged to work together in the best interest of all Irish people.

He said he will oversee the implementation of the program for the government and oversee political reforms, adding his country faces many challenges.

Kenny said that while the government got Ireland back from the edge of an economic cliff, he recognized that not everyone has experienced the recovery.

After the vote, Kenny went to Aras an Uachtarain (presidential office) to receive his seal of office from Irish President Michael D Higgins.

He will then return to Leinster House, the seat of the Irish parliament, and formally select his cabinet minister before leading them into the Dail Eireann later on Friday. The new ministers will take over their departments on Monday.

Last week, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail agreed on a minority government deal after weeks of talks.

During final talks, Fianna Fail agreed to support the Fine Gael-led minority government over three budgets and there is a broad agreement on a range of fronts, including rent supplement increases and water charges.

A minority government would mean that Fine Gael or Fianna Fail would need to secure support from other parties on an issue-by-issue basis in order to get legislation through.

Fine Gael, which has 50 seats in the Dail Eireann, is still the largest party in Ireland in terms of members of parliament. Endit