Labour TD Ferris will not lose whip for abstaining on vote

IRELAND
Irish Times

Harry McGee

Wed, Jan 28, 2015

The Labour Party has said no disciplinary action will be taken against Wicklow TD Anne Ferris after she abstained in a Dáil vote on the establishment of a Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.

Ms Ferris, who has spoken about her own personal experience of mother and baby homes, had let her party know for some time that she had problems with the plan for the commission being brought forward by Minister for Children James Reilly.

In particular, Ms Ferris had issues with the commission’s terms referring solely to single mothers, when separated mothers and widowed mothers were also residents of such homes. She also expressed concerns that not all the institutions of this nature were covered in the terms of reference.

Anne Ferris: she had spoke about how she had just met her sister last summer after the two had been placed for adoption when they were childrenJames Reilly changes inquiry scope after TD’s case excluded

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