DUBLIN, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Irish main opposition Fianna Fail (Republican Party) on Friday lodged a motion of no confidence in Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Frances Fitzgerald.
The opposition party alleged Ms. Fitzgerald was involved in a conspiracy aimed at smearing police whistleblower Maurice McCabe when she served as minister for justice and equality from 2014 to 2016.
But Ms. Fitzgerald rejected the opposition's allegations, saying that she was not part of any conspiracy to undermine McCabe.
The no-confidence motion will be debated next Tuesday in the Dail Eireann, or the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's parliament.
Following the 2016 general election, Fine Gael (United Ireland Party) formed a minority government with some non-party TDs (members of parliament). The minority government was made possible by a confidence and supply agreement with Fianna Fail, which agreed to abstain in confidence votes.
A minority government would mean Fine Gael would need to secure support from Fianna Fail on an issue-by-issue basis in order to get legislation through.
Fine Gael, which has 50 seats in the Dail Eireann, is still the largest party in Ireland in terms of members of parliament. Fianna Fail, having 44 seats, is the second largest party in parliament.
Analysts here say the no-confidence motion could collapse the opposition party's confidence and supply agreement with Fine Gael-led minority government and could lead to a general election, possibly before Christmas.
Fianna Fail's leader Micheal Martin said his party does not want a general election and that the issue could be resolved if Ms. Fitzgerald steps down.
But Fine Gael insists the deputy prime minister did nothing wrong and should not be forced from her position.
On Thursday evening, Fine Gael passed a motion in support of the deputy prime minister, with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar saying he would not sacrifice Ms. Fitzgerald on what he called a trumped-up charge.
