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Irish PM wins confidence motion

Xinhua, February 16, 2017 Adjust font size:

Ireland's Dail Eireann, the lower house of parliament, on Wednesday evening passed a motion of confidence in Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny and his minority government.

The motion was passed by 57 votes to 52, with 44 abstentions.

On Monday, Ireland's Sinn Fein tabled a motion of no confidence in Kenny's minority government over its handling of a police whistleblower controversy.

The opposition party said that the government was not capable of dealing with the issues around police whistleblower Maurice McCabe, calling for an election.

McCabe is a police sergeant, recognized for being a whistleblower on irregularities within Ireland's national police force.

In 2014, materials revealed by McCabe, as well as the handling of the materials and of the whistleblowers, directly led to the resignation of Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter and partially led to the resignation of Police Commissioner Martin Callinan.

In a statement released before the vote of confidence, Kenny said he rejected any suggestion that the government has not supported police whistleblowers.

He said the government had ensured that all of McCabe's previous allegations were investigated, adding that the issues raised by McCabe and others also led to very significant reforms by the government, including the establishment of an independent police authority for the first time in the country's history.

Kenny has agreed to set up a public tribunal of inquiry into an alleged smear campaign against McCabe.

Kenny has come under increasing pressure in the wake of the whistleblower issue. Although the motion has been passed, Kenny could face a leadership challenge within weeks, as he was believed to have lost the support of the middle ground in Fine Gael (United Ireland Party).

In the 2016 general election, neither the United Ireland Party nor Fianna Fail (Republican Party) won an overall majority.

The United Ireland Party, which has 50 seats in the lower house of parliament, is still the largest party in Ireland in terms of members of parliament, followed by the Republican Party with 44 seats.

The United Ireland Party then formed a minority government with independent members of parliament, with party leader Kenny serving as prime minister for the second time. Kenny has led the party since 2002.

Gerry Adams' Sinn Fein made a historic breakthrough by winning 23 seats and it is now the third largest party. Endi