On prevailing side: this member voted with the winning side in 236 of 237 decisive votes (0 abstentions excluded). Read it as a government-or-opposition indicator rather than a measure of influence — the figure is near 100% for members supporting the government of the day and near 0% for those opposing it.
This is the point of the site: contributions keep the party held on the day, not the one held now.
| Party | Recorded as | Contributions | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC | Ceann Comhairle / Chair | 1,575 | 2020-03-20 – 2024-11-07 |
| FF | Fianna Fáil | 299 | 2020-01-21 – 2024-11-07 |
Membership spells on record: FF 2016-04-25–2020-03-29 · FF 2021-04-21–2025-01-29
Amendment No. 30 in the names of Senators Ruane, Higgins, Black and Flynn is out of order as it involves a potential charge on the Revenue.
Amendment No. 31 has been ruled out of order.
Amendments Nos. 32, 34, 35 and 37 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Senator Flynn has resumed her seat. She had her opportunity and made her speech. Would the Minister like to come back in?
What would Senator Flynn like to do with amendment No. 32?
We will come to that.
I do not think I will be needing the seven minutes because the Minister of State has clearly outlined the circumstances in which we find ourselves. On my behalf and that of the Fianna Fáil group, I can say we will be supporting these Government motions. It is clear that if these motions were not to be passed, the provisions in place would expire on 30 June 2023. That is not a position I or anybody else would want the State to be in. I was taken by the Minister of State's reference to something I already knew, nam…
I do not wish to disturb the Senator's very interesting contribution but we are not on Second Stage. We are debating amendments individually so please speak to the amendment.
Yes.
Before the Minister of State responds, I want to welcome a group of young people from Dublin Mid-West Ógra Fianna Fáil. We also have the Polish ambassador, Ms Anna Sochaska, in the Public Gallery. You are all very welcome this evening.
I do not think he heard what you just said.
He might even get the first award.
When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?
Is that agreed? Agreed.
When is it proposed to sit again?
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I thank Ms Demetriou for joining us. It is fantastic for our Chamber to have her here in Ireland. As our Leader said, we have more links than we might think. We both have a history with the British empire and of having an island that is split and divided. We both have a history of trying to be peaceful and get on with everybody and we are nowadays, along with Malta, the only island states in the EU. I was recently in Brussels on behalf of the transport committee and people told me they could get trains everywhere, …
There is a future for both of them somewhere.
I thank the Minister for his engagement. He and I had a brief chat outside the Chamber before the debate. This is very useful legislation but, as he outlined, it needs a little work. One of our colleagues in the House, who is both a former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and a former Attorney General, has said it does not need much work.
I am absolutely in agreement with the concept of having a stronger punishment for spiking. The provisions in that regard are welcome. I congratulate Young Fine Gael, which is not something I often do. That will be chalked down and may be used against me at some point. I did not know Young Fine Gael was founded in 1977. I wonder whether Ógra Fianna Fáil being founded in 1975 might have prompted people in Fine Gael to do something similar a couple of years later when they saw that it seemed to be working for Fianna F…