Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (Resumed) Dail Éireann — 2022-06-29 ============================================================ Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998. On Wednesday, 29 June 2022, on the question, "That the amendment to the motion be agreed to", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 80(2), that division must be taken now. Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry Given the number of abstentions on this vote----- Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West Gabh mo leithscéal, Deputy. I am in the middle of giving the result of the vote on the amendment to the motion. Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry There is a very high level of abstentions in the vote on this very important issue. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West This is totally out of order. Robert Troy (FF), Longford-Westmeath Why is it out of order? Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West I am in the middle of giving the result of the vote. Tá buaite ar an gceist. Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry Given the very high level of abstentions on the division on this very important matter relating to the Special Criminal Court, I call for a vote on the amendment other than by electronic means. A huge proportion of the Members of this Parliament have abstained on a vote concerning the Special Criminal Court. Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP), Dún Laoghaire The difference between the "Tá" and "Níl" votes is greater than ten. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West I ask Deputies for their co-operation and a little respect for the Chair. The question has been put that we have a vote on the amendment by other than electronic means. There is no provision for that because the difference in the votes is greater than ten. I am moving on to the motion. The question is, "That the motion be agreed to." Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry As 31 Members of Dáil Éireann have abstained on the vote on a motion regarding the Special Criminal Court, I ask that the vote be carried out by other than electronic means. Dessie Ellis (SF), Dublin North-West Does Deputy Griffin not know the rules? Paul Kehoe (FG), Wexford The rules certainly would be broken if Sinn Féin is ever in government. A Deputy Great timing, Dessie. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West If there is no co-operation, I will abandon the rest of the voting. I have heard comments from the back of the Chamber that are not to be repeated. Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP), Dún Laoghaire The Fine Gael Deputies are rowdy. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009----- Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry I asked the Leas-Cheann Comhairle a question but did not receive an answer from her. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West Will you please resume your seat, Deputy? Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry As a Whip and a teller, I asked a question of the Chair and did not receive an answer. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West I answered you, Deputy. Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry You did not. Martin Browne (SF), Tipperary Respect the Chair, Deputy Griffin. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West The question has been put. There is no provision for a vote by other than electronic means. I am repeating what I already told Deputy Griffin and I ask for his co-operation. I am now moving on. Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry Will the Leas-Cheann Comhairle please clarify? She did not answer me. Catherine Connolly (CC), Galway West There is no provision for taking the vote in the manner the Deputy has requested, given the result of the electronic vote. Brendan Griffin (FG), Kerry I want to record my disgust that 31 Members of Dáil Éireann abstained in a vote on a motion on the Special Criminal Court. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2022-06-29/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:50:54+00:00 Sitting date: 2022-06-29