Prodigal son Penrose gets committee seat

Willie Penrose's decision to rejoin the Labour parliamentary party has been rewarded with a seat on the Oireachtas agriculture committee.

The Ballynacargy deputy, who re-entered the parliamentary party this week almost two years after he resigned as a junior minister in protest at the closure of Columb Barracks, replaces former Labour chairman Colm Keaveney on the committee.

The party's decision to remove Keaveney the committee was criticised by Fianna Fail's Billy Kelleher.

“It’s quite shameless. We’re asking parliament to rubber stamp a Labour Party dispute," he said.

Speaking earlier this week, Deputy Penrose said that he was rejoining the party as his voice could be heard more strongly on issues such as windfarms and parent teacher ratios.