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TWO FINE GAEL TDs have welcomed a surprise move by the Dáil Ceann Comhairle to give members of the newly-created Reform Alliance of former parliamentary members speaking rights in the Dáil.
The alliance of expelled Fine Gael TDs as well as deputies in Labour who have lost the party whip are to be allotted limited speaking time in Dáil debates following a decision by the Ceann Comhairle, Seán Barrett.
Eoghan Murphy, a Fine Gael TD and constituency colleague of expelled Lucinda Creighton, said today that deputies should be able to participate in Dáil debates as much as possible but said he was not sure if that could include Leaders’ Questions.
“I think they should be able to participate in the Dáil as fully as possible but to participate in Leaders’ Questions you’d have to have a leader of your group,” he said.
“In the Standing Orders at the moment there is only allowance for one technical group and one slot to ask leaders questions so we’ll have to wait and see what the Ceann Comhairle actually says about that.”
He said he welcomed the move with his party colleague Regina Doherty also saying she “absolutely” welcomed the decision.
Speaking earlier on the News at One, Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe, who was unaware of the Ceann Comhairle’s move when contacted last night, said he welcomed the “clarity” brought to the situation.
Kehoe said that “no member of any group had spoken to me about looking for speaking rights” but said he was “glad that the Ceann Comhairle has brought clarity to this”.
Murphy and Doherty were speaking at Leinster House today to launch Fine Gael’s Facebook ad campaigns for the Seanad referendum which seek to highlight that other countries have abolished their second chamber:
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Enough! I’m sick of these people already
We have to stop calling them “RA TDs”. Sinn Fein already has seats on that side of the chamber.
R A – Really Annoying.
Up the RA
Other countries might have voted out their Senate, but maybe they trust their governments…
It would be interesting to compare the entirety of the political structures in those countries to ours. How do parliamentary oversight mechanisms measure up? Are the local government systems similar? Are their elected representatives as concerned with the parish pump as ours?
Methinks our country would be found lacking, and it’s not because we still have a Senate.
Precisely, Brian. These vague statistics are comparing apples and oranges for all we know.
I agree Brian.
But the problem here is that the people of Ireland WANT parish pump politics for all that they say they don’t. I’ve already seem somebody on another thread castigating Helen McEntee saying that she will never do anything for her constituents.
So what exactly should the role of national TDs be? Until the Irish people make up their minds about that then I think we should put discussions about parish pump politics to one side. Irish people however are very good about wanting to have their cake and eat it.
I think we need to have that discussion about parish pump politics so that we can make up our minds about what the role of our national TDs would be. And I think the Seanad referendum campaign would have been a good opportunity to do that. If we are going to abolish one of the Houses of the Oireachtas, then we have to look at how the other House operates and see is it fit for purpose, and decide on what that purpose is.
Who knows, maybe we can still have that discussion. But from FG’s campaign so, they’re more interested in the illusion of reform that actual reform.
Now… someone mentioned cake? :-D
In a real democracy all the democratically elected representatives of the people have the right to free speech especially in the parliament of the country
Michael you said it already.
How much time should each be given?
The picture makes it look like they’re all trying to pretend fidelma healy eames isn’t there.
…looks like she just asked Creighton what her feelings are on the subject of Frape.
I wonder if Fine Gael paid/consulted Bjorn Borg for the use of his image in their campaign – or did they just pay a company for the “stock image”.
Also, I’m sure the Swedes were happy to get rid of their Senate because they probably trusted their politicians to keep the electorate’s interests in mind when making important decisions.
…unlike Ireland’s successive governments full of self-serving-parish-pump-vote-grabbers with an ultimate career ambition of being as crooked as a barrel of snakes.
Why are Fine Gael members now joining a terrorist organisation? Think Republicans need to reconsider immigration reform, especially if Ireland is a terrorist caliphate.
Fianna gael 2 ffs same ole clowns
Sure Ra members can already lie in the Dáil
Well it’s not possible, so shaddap!!!
have your say