The Tánaiste and Labour leader says she will deal with any application by Anne Ferris to rejoin the party if, and when, that arises.

The Wicklow TD was expelled from the party last night after voting against the coalition on proposals to allow abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities.

Joan Burton says Anne Ferris is out of the party for now; and is adopting a wait and see approach if she will be on the party ticket at the next election:

Last night the Dáil voted down Clare Daly's bill, to allow abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, by 104 votes to 20.

The government was advised that the bill is unconstitutional, which Ms Daly strongly disagreed with.

Anne Ferris was the only Labour TD to vote against the government on the bill.

Ms Ferris had said she would like to have seen the bill progress to committee stage, so that its provisions could be examined by legal and medical experts.

Deputy Ferris said she felt she had no choice but to vote against the government: