Frances Fitzgerald is fighting to save her political career after Sinn Fein tabled a motion of no confidence in the Tánaiste.

There were sharp exchanges in the Dáil this morning as Minister Fitzgerald was accused of failing to protect Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.

The minister has been embroiled in a crisis since Monday night when it emerged that she received an email in May 2015 which outlined a garda strategy to discredit Maurice McCabe.

She has said she doesn’t recall the email, and claims that fresh legal advice she received yesterday confirmed she was right not to interfere in the O’Higgins Inquiry which the email referred to.

This morning, Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald made her feelings on the Tánaiste’s actions very clear:

“Your refusal to provide plausible answers has placed you at the centre of this scandal,” she said. “And you may think Tánaiste that you’ll weather this storm; that you’ll ride it out – but you won’t.”

However, the Tánaiste repeated her mantra that she could not interfere:

“To say that I did not act is not correct,” she said. “I did not interfere with the legal strategy.”

Fianna Fail Justice Spokesman Jim O’Callaghan said the email was sent to get the Tanaiste’s backing:

“Do you ever reflect on, why do you think it was you were sent this email on the 15th May 2015?” he asked.

“You were sent this email so as you could either give a green light or a red light to the strategy proposed.”

But Frances Fitzgerald denied this;

“I am really surprised at some of the suggestions that have already been made on the floor of the house” she said. “From Deputy O’Callaghan who says I should have discussed the legal strategy – that would have been illegal.”

Now Sinn Fein has tabled a motion of no confidence – after Mary Lou McDonald said the answers were implausible.

Fianna Fail now has a big decision on whether to support its confidence and supply arrangement with the Government or go with Sinn Fein – which would mean a collapse of government, unless the decision is taken by Fine Gael to let the Tánaiste go.