Minister Simon Coveney survived a confidence motion in the Dáil last night.
The support of a number of Independent TDs saw the Foreign Affairs Minister win the motion by 92 votes to 59.
However, his Fine Gael colleague and local Dáil Deputy John Paul Phelan says damage has been done to the party and the Government by the whole Katharine Zappone affair.
Speaking on The Way It Is ahead of the confidence motion Deputy Phelan said he was angry himself over how the whole saga has been handled.
And he claimed other party members are too saying “People in Fine Gael expect our leaders to be that bit more clever and transparent in how they operate”.
Hear his conversation with our Sue Nunn in full here:
Meanwhile the coalitin Government is down a member as a result of the debacle.
Marc MacSharry resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip and voted against the Government last night.
Carlow Kilkenny Fianna Fáil Deputy John McGuinness was not in the Dáil for the vote.
