Enda Kenny survives Irish opposition leader vote

The leader of the main opposition party in the Irish Republic has survived a confidence vote.

Enda Kenny, who sacked his main leadership rival earlier this week, had said he expected to win the support of his Fine Gael parliamentary colleagues.

Eleven of Mr Kenny's frontbench colleagues withdrew their backing after he sacked deputy leader Richard Bruton on Tuesday.

Details of the vote on Thursday have not been made public.

Fine Gael parliamentary party chairman Padraic McCormack said the motion was carried after a very thorough and full debate.

He said the decision had been made not to disclose the vote results and that the ballot papers would be shredded.

Mr McCormack said the party was damaged in the short-term but would recover and become stronger.

When asked about Mr Bruton's future, he said that Mr Bruton should be on the frontbench.

70 TDs, Senators and MEPs voted on the motion at the meeting, which got under way on Thursday morning.

Mr Kenny had been under pressure following poor opinion poll results.