Following a meeting of over 70 party members it has been revealed, by Chairman Padraic McCormack, that Enda Kenny has won the confidence vote of the party.

McCormack would not reveal the margin of Kenny’s victory. He said that Senator Paschal O’Donohoe and he knew the exact result of the ballot but had been sworn to secrecy.

Speaking after the results were revealed he said that he felt this question of confidence in Enda Kenny has “damaged the party in the short-term” but urged that the party now get back to the job at hand which is getting Fianna Fail out of government.
Forty-five members of the party contributed to the discussion before the vote was passed.

It is expected that a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle will take place next Monday. McCormack also said that he hoped Richard Bruton, former deputy of the party and finance spokesperson, would be back and would become the countries next minister for finance.

Kenny and Bruton shook hands during the meeting.

Before the meeting both sides of the discussion were equally confident going into the meeting but Kenny’s supporter prevailed.

The frontbench of the party is now for the most part defunct as the majority rebelled against the leader.

Tempers before the meeting flared as MEP Jim Higgins even went as far as comparing those who were against Enda Kenny of being “almost fascist”.

He said “They are simply, if you like, being anti-democratic; it’s almost fascist, if you like, to say I will not serve under Enda Kenny, I will not accept the democratic choice.”

“You either accept democracy or you don’t, you can’t half accept democracy.”

Kenny has been the leader of the party since 2002. He was credited with rebuilding the party after a massive defeat during the election.