Ireland's proposed new abortion laws have have cleared their first hurdle in the Dáil.
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill past its first vote by 138 votes to 24.
However, five TDs broke with the orders of their parties to vote against the Bill.
Peter Mathews, Billy Timmins, Brian Walsh and Terence Flanagan all voted against the Protection of Life in Pregnancy Bill as promised.
All four will now be expelled from the Fine Gael parliamentary party.
A series of other Fine Gael TDs who have problems with the bill, including junior minister Lucinda Creighton, voted in favour of it for now - but could break ranks later.
Sinn Féin's Peadar Toibin [Toe-been] also voted against the bill, as did 13 out of the 19 Fianna Fáil TDs.
The Bill passed second stage by 138 votes to 24.
