It is likely there will be expulsions from the Labour Party following the failure of two of its members to obey the whip at Thursday night's meeting of Dublin City Council, the group's leader on the council has said.
Mr Tommy Broughan was commenting yesterday following the decision of the Labour Party Lord Mayor, Mr Dermot Lacey, to vote in favour of an 29 per cent increase in bin charges at Thursday's meeting of the council.
He was also reacting to the failure of Ms Mary Freehill to attend Thursday's crucial vote.
Mr Lacey's decision to vote in favour of the city manager's budget saved the council from abolition.
Until he cast his vote, the vote was tied at 23 in favour of the new charges and 23 against. Sinn Féin, most of the Labour Party, most of Fine Gael and the three Independents voted against, while Fianna Fáil, the Greens, Mr Joe Doyle of Fine Gael and Mr Lacey voted in favour. Immediately after the meeting the Labour Party group met and decided to exclude Mr Lacey from the group.
The question of whether the group may recommend that he also be expelled from the party would be discussed by its members on Wednesday evening, Mr Broughan said last night.
He also said the non-attendance of Ms Freehill would be discussed.
Ms Freehill said yesterday she did not attend because she was "too ill".
Asked why she did not send her apologies to the group before the meeting, she said late yesterday afternoon: "Because I was too ill. I have only just been well enough to get in touch with Tommy."
Mr Broughan said he wouldn't comment further on Ms Freehill, but added: "The fact is she only contacted me almost 24 hours after the meeting. It would be usual to send apologies, especially in advance of such a crucial vote."
He knew, he said, that she had "difficulties" with the whip to vote against the estimates.
He rejected as "absolutely outrageous" claims by Sinn Féin's Mr Christy Burke, that the Labour Party had been "complicit" in the introduction of bin charges.
Mr Lacey, who has said he voted to save the council from dissolution, said yesterday he did not want to make any further comment but to "leave time now for calm and reflection".
"I have had an incredible amount of support, from the public, from other members of the party. Every single former Labour Lord Mayor of Dublin has been in touch and has said I have done the right thing."
Meanwhile, the Fianna Fáil leader on the council, Mr Pat Carey, said the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte's silence on the party's "internal strife" was "deafening". "For a man usually so well armed with rapid-fire quips, put-downs and metaphors, Deputy Rabbitte's silence is out of character," said Mr Carey.
Speaking from Cork, Mr Rabbitte, would not be drawn on the issue yesterday. He could not comment on Mr Lacey's future in the party, he said.
"Dermot is a very fine public representative. He forfeited the whip as a result of the decision he felt he had to make," said Mr Rabbitte.
Asked his view on Mr Lacey's decision to put the survival of the council before party unity, Mr Rabbitte said: "In an ideal world we'd all observe party discipline. I don't see this as an issue of Middle East proportions."
He would not comment on what might happen if the Labour group decides on Wednesday to recommend that Mr Lacey be expelled by the party executive. "I couldn't possibly comment on that. The executive of the party behaves in a quasi-judicial way. The matter is sub-judice if you like."
