Wicklow TD Behan resigns from Fianna Fail
17/10/08 - www.breakingnews.ie
A Fianna Fáil TD quit the party tonight in the first signs of a major backbench revolt over the Government's controversial Budget reforms.
Bray-based Joe Behan, who was elected to the Dail last year, told Taoiseach Brian Cowen he could no longer support the coalition branding planned cutbacks in education and on medical cards a betrayal.
The former school principal hit out at the increase in class sizes and said scrapping free healthcare for the over 70s was an attack on the elderly.
Mr Behan rebelled despite efforts by the Fianna Fail leadership to ease fears at a hastily-convened parliamentary party meeting yesterday morning followed by an embarrassing redrafting of the medical card reforms.
