A Labour minister has said Joan Burton did nothing wrong in making a personal appointment to a state board - and that Shane Ross is the only person with a problem about it.
The comments from Brendan Howlin came as the Dáil prepares to debate a motion of no confidence in the Tánaiste this evening, over the appointment of David Begg as chair of the Pensions Board.
However Shane Ross has said there is wider concern about the appointment - and other opposition TDs have spoken out.
Four other independents have also signed the motion of no confidence, which will be debated tonight and tomorrow, and Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin are backing it.
But Fine Gael's Simon Coveney says he doesn't believe Joan Burton would have acted inappropriately.
Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News:
