Late legal advice complaint
Mary Lou McDonald says the meeting and legal advice are welcome but do not resolve the problem, and she complains that Members were informed very late. The Ceann Comhairle explains the legal-advice chain from parliamentary advisers to the Clerk to his office.
The rules of this House do not infringe on the Constitution in any shape or form.
Comment on this
Of course the Constitution and Standing Orders count for something. Nobody is contesting the contrary. What we are hearing, however, is an interpretation without the benefit of any information before us. With all due respect, all of this has been very last minute on the part of the system. That is not the fault of the Members.
Comment on this
I will offer a further small piece of advice with regard to how the system works. The parliamentary legal advisers advise the Clerk of the Dáil. The Clerk of the Dáil advises me. That has been the process down through the years.
Comment on this
We were informed at 9 p.m. last night.
Comment on this
This advice is based on what Bills could hypothetically do, not on the motion itself.