Voting arrangements in the House
The debate shifts to how votes can be held safely in Leinster House, with the Taoiseach saying the issue is mainly technical and that Government will work with others on a solution. He dismisses bar comparisons as soundbites and says most Deputies favour being back in the Chamber.
Sinn Féin voted against the publicans last Thursday.
Comment on this
I remind Deputies that the public is watching this. Can we behave with a little bit of decorum and respect and let us try to sort out this problem-----
Comment on this
There is most definitely a problem. Does the Taoiseach or Chief Whip wish to make a comment on this?
Comment on this
This is not a Government matter in the sense that it is a matter for the Oireachtas. The Ceann Comhairle has put it very clearly. He said there was a special meeting at the end of July. No one suggested or proposed to the Ceann Comhairle, bar one Deputy, Deputy Mattie McGrath, that we ignore or go against advice. It seems the situation has to do with voting. The Government is very open to whatever the Oireachtas agrees to consider. It does not serve the Oireachtas very well to be going for the cheap soundbites all the time and comparing this to the Dáil bar and all this type of nonsense.
Comment on this
It has been closed for a long time. It is a great line but it does not help us deal with the situation. It is a great old line but that is about it. It is a nice line to shout out but it does not advance the argument.
Comment on this
The issue seems to be whether we can organise votes here that everybody will observe. I am not an expert on this and I was not a part of the public health expert advice or the secretariat to the Oireachtas with regard to voting. It seems that voting is the major challenge to the authorities in the House with regard to organising it safely within public health guidelines. We are all agreed it is far more amenable for us to be here and it is more efficient timewise to be in this Chamber rather than having to go down to the Convention Centre. That seems to be the general view that most Deputies have. Certainly the Government is open and we will be constructive in working with the Oireachtas. The Business Committee met again last week. It seems that every second decision of the Business Committee is now being challenged, even though everyone seems to have been at the meetings. Notwithstanding everyone agreeing with a particular position, within 24 or 48 hours it is disagreed with. We will work with the Ceann Comhairle.