The Government has comfortably survived a confidence motion in the Dáil.

Several Independents and former coalition members backed the Government in the vote, with 86 votes in its favour and 67 against.

Independent TDs Joe McHugh, Cathal Berry, Sean Canney, Noel Grealish, Michael Lowry, Denis Naughten, Matt Shanahan and Marc MacSharry all voted with the Government.

Meanwhile, exiled Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan also voted with the coalition.

CONFIRMED: The Government has comfortably survived a confidence motion in the Dáil with a number of Independents and coalition ex-pats voting its way

86 votes to 67 in the end

— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) March 29, 2023

The Labour Party originally tabled a motion of no confidence in the Government after the Dáil last week backed its decision to lift the eviction ban.

The Government then tabled its own motion that TDs eventually voted on.

The Government motion had just nine words: “That Dáil Eireann reaffirms its confidence in the Government.”

Exchanges between TDs were bitter at times as the motions were debated today.

Today’s debates are far from over, with the house now due to deal with Sinn Féin’s second attempt to extend the eviction ban.