On prevailing side: this member voted with the winning side in 312 of 313 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 | 11,306 | 2020-02-20 – 2024-11-07 |
| FF | Fianna Fáil | 72 | 2020-02-20 – 2026-10-01 |
Membership spells on record: FF 2000-06-02–2002-06-26 · FF 2002-05-17–2007-04-30 · FF 2007-05-24–2011-02-01 · FF 2011-02-25–2016-03-09 · FF 2016-03-10–2020-01-14 · FF 2020-02-08–2024-11-08 · FF 2024-11-29–present
Seanad amendments Nos. 4 to 11, inclusive, and Nos. 13 to 28, inclusive, are related and will be discussed together.
The time permitted for the debate having expired, I am required to put the following question in accordance with the order of the Dáil of 12 July: "That the Seanad amendments not disposed of are hereby agreed to in committee and agreement to the amendments is accordingly reported to the House."
A message will be sent to Seanad Éireann acquainting it accordingly.
Deputy Howlin has a point of order.
I am very conscious of the fact that the Deputy has more parliamentary experience than I and the two other Members present in the Chamber put together. That might be a little different now that Deputy McGuinness has joined us. I am very conscious of the points made by the Deputy. I share his concern about the large volume of legislation being brought to the House at the end of term. This is a problem that has been raised in the past and remains to be resolved. The Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform today …
I believe it stands.
Neither the Deputy nor I can decide how it is going to be interpreted in the courts.
I will read into the record that Standing Order 228 provides: An amendment made by the Seanad to a Bill initiated in the Dáil may be accepted by the Dáil with or without amendment or be rejected. No amendment shall be moved to an amendment made by the Seanad that is not strictly relevant thereto, nor can any other amendment be moved to the Bill unless it be consequential upon the acceptance, amendment or rejection of a Seanad amendment. There is a dilemma. We could speak about this for a long time but I would like …
The Minister of State is in a dilemma, just as we are, because he started out on a road that must be travelled.
I would like to think that in my period in this Chair I have advocated the pursuit of best practice and continually trying to improve practice. It is disappointing when something like this happens but we must get on with it. Seanad amendments Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, 7, and 12 to 40, inclusive, are related and will be taken together.
I assure the Deputy that we will come back to the Minister of State.
The Minister of State will have to do so in 37 seconds.
The time is up, Deputy.
The time permitted for this debate having expired, I am required to put the following question in accordance with an order of the Dáil of 12 July 2022: "That the amendment set down to Seanad amendment No. 50 is hereby negatived, the Seanad amendments not disposed of are hereby agreed to in Committee and agreement to the amendments is accordingly reported to the House." Is that agreed?
Yes.
Amendment No. 3 is in the name of Deputy Catherine Murphy. I ask her to move and address the amendment.
I apologise, it is Deputy Paul Murphy's.
Mea maxima culpa.
Is the Deputy withdrawing it in any case?
Is the Deputy pressing the amendment?