Fine Gael In Chaos As Kenny Sacks Bruton

On the eve of a Motion of No Confidence vote in the Dáil, Fine Gael was thrown into chaos when Enda Kenny announced that he had sacked his Deputy Leader Richard Bruton

Kenny made the surprise decision after rumours surfaced that Bruton was to challenge Kenny for the leadership at a meeting of Fine Gael front-benchers on Tuesday.

Now that he is no longer Deputy Leader or Finance Spokesman, he will be unable to do that, but it is likely that the challenge is merely delayed.

In a statement, Mr Kenny said: "Over the weekend, I had a meeting and other conversations with Deputy Richard Bruton during which he informed me that he is no longer prepared to support my leadership. I asked him to reconsider his position and to work with me to ensure that Fine Gael wins the next general election.

"As the Dail will debate a motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach and Fine Gael's motion on the banking inquiry this week, Richard's decision leaves me with no option but to relieve him of his responsibilities as Deputy Leader and Finance Spokesperson with immediate effect."

Deputy Kieran O'Donnell has been assigned as acting Fine Gael spokesman for Finance, pending further changes to the party's front benches later this week.

A special meeting of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party has been announced for Thursday, where Mr Kenny will make his case for remaining in the leadership position - something made more difficult by the suprise results of a Irish Times opinion poll last week which put Fine Gael in second place, behind Labour.

On Monday morning, Mr Bruton confirmed that he would be talking to his party colleagues before deciding on future actions, and that he "would be guided by the majority view of his party."

When asked to comment further he said: "The correct way to deal with any issue about the future of our party is to discuss it with colleagues because we all collectively have to make decisions about how best to proceed with the party, and what sort of changes we need."

Meanwhile, the party is preparing to debate a Motion of Confidence in the Dáil on Tuesday afternoon.

Fine Gael tabled the motion after two new reports into Ireland's banking crisis suggested that the financial policies followed while Taoiseach Brian Cowen T.D., was Finance Minister helped to overheat the Irish economy and created "a climate of public opinion ... that the party could last forever."

After the release of the report, Richard Bruton said that "The notion that people like Brian Cowen, who are at the centre of the investigation that needs to happen, should decide the terms of reference... and not only that, but to decide to exclude himself and his department from any scrutinty - that is simply outrageous."