Irish government's majority shrinks after MP withdraws support

DUBLIN // Irish prime minister Brian Cowen's majority in parliament shrank to just four seats today after an independent MP said he was withdrawing his support for the government in protest of health cuts. Mr Cowen plans to make at least 3 billion euros worth of fresh budgetary cuts in December and needs support from six members of junior partners the Greens, a handful of independents and some dissidents from his own Fianna Fail party to push them through. Noel Grealish, formerly a member of the now defunct Progressive Democrats party, said he would no longer vote to support the government until planned health budget cuts in his constituency in the west of Ireland were clarified. * Reuters