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THE INDEPENDENT TD Mattie McGrath will be censured by the Dáil after it voted this morning to acknowledge that he abused parliamentary privilege in remarks he made about an abuse victim.
The censuring relates to a finding by the Dáil’s committee on procedures and privileges that McGrath abused parliamentary privilege when he made comments relating to former councillor Michael O’Brien in a Dáil debate last June.
In remarks to the Dáil, the Tipperary South TD accused O’Brien of holding a reception for the Rosminian Brothers, who ran the St Joseph’s industrial school in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, before having a “change of mind” and implying that O’Brien later accused the Brothers of abuse.
This was not true and the CPP has upheld O’Brien’s complaint which pointed out that he did not host a reception for the Brothers when he was mayor between 1993 and 1994.
McGrath did not explicitly name O’Brien in the debate on the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill 2012 but made several remarks which clearly identified the man.
TDs are protected from libel laws under parliamentary privilege but members of the public can use the CPP to have the Dáil record corrected under standing order 59 if they believe an incorrect remark is made about them.
In the Dáil this morning, McGrath’s fellow Technical Group member Richard Boyd-Barrett said that the former Fianna Fáil TD should be allowed “to speak in his own defence”.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the finding of the CPP’s report was that McGrath’s comments were “irresponsible and did constitute an abuse of privilege” and added that McGrath had plenty opportunity to withdraw the remark which he had not done.
The Dail then voted 90 to 21 to censure McGrath with Sinn Féin joining he government in voting for the motion while Fianna Fáil joined some members of the Technical Group – including McGrath – in opposing the motion.
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Out of all the possible abductions journalists never help anything. They are there to report the truth not be used as ransom or intimidation.
Hope they find him soon.
I expect that this journalist’s ‘crime’ was to depart from the cosy consensus that is the false reporting line of Western allied syndicated media. Possibly he may have attempted to present a balanced narrative, thus implicitly criticising the terrorists of the Al Qaeda Sunni Islamic so-called ‘Free Syrian Army’.
https://en.rsf.org/syria-threat-of-imminent-execution-of-12-12-2012,43785.html
imagine going back after being abducted once. it’s a terrible story, but what a 24 carat plonker.
I’d call that courageous. To go back into a warzone after being kidnapped before must take balls of steel and a real belief in what he was doing. I hope he is released again ok. Whether he risks a third bite of the cherry is another question…!
Imagine getting back in a car after you’ve crashed? Or imagine going back to sport after getting injured? How crazy can you get?
Hell, why should we risk anything at all? Why not just stay at home in protective cocoons of comfort and never take chances at anything in case we are pushed out of our comfort zones?
I understand the sentiment, Pádraig, but without meaning to cause offence, it’s dangerous thinking. This man did a brave thing, both in going out in the first place to provide us with the vital service of knowing what’s happening in conflict zones, and in overcoming his capture to go back. Enormous respect, and hoping for his safe return.
Not only is that last phenomenally racist, it also shows a wanton disregard for the intelligence and ingenuity of journalists reporting from environments such as Libya and Syria. Nobody goes to report from a war zone without being aware of and accepting the risks, and being willing to take them in the name of the vocation that is journalism. To suggest otherwise is to disrespect the ongoing work of others in the profession, and to similarly disrespect the legacy of the likes of Tim Hetherington and Marie Colvin, who lost their lives in its pursuit.
the cheek of you implying I’m being racist or disrespectful.
Free the journos and burn the bondholders!!!!!
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