Fine Gael TD Peter Mathews has resigned from the party.
The deputy confirmed this afternoon that he had hand-delivered a letter of resignation to party leader Enda Kenny this morning.
Deputy Mathews had been ejected from the FG parliamentary party after voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill.
He was subsequently removed from the Oireachtas finance committee.
The Dublin South TD is now likely to fight the next election as an independent, when his five-seat constituency shrinks to three.
