Fianna Fail TD for Donegal Jim McDaid is withdrawing his support for the Government.

He says he feels superfluous to requirements and he won’t stand over the decimation of the party.

The former Government Minister lost the party whip when he abstained from a vote on the cervical cancer vaccine.

Political Editor with the Sunday Business Post Pat Leahy says it leaves the Government with just 83 Dail votes.

“That’ll be enough to pass the budget – doesn’t give him much breathing room” he said.

“(It) means he has to keep the two independents – Jackie Healy-Rae and Michael Lowry – on board, and all his other backbenchers who will feel even more pressure after this move by Jim McDaid”.

“Jim McDaid has resigned the whip before, but I think this is not an insignificant move” he added.