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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Jun 2022

Vol. 1024 No. 4

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (Resumed)

The following motion was moved by the Minister for Justice on Wednesday, 29 June 2022:
That Dáil Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 4, 6 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2022 and ending on 29th June, 2023.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"— resolves that sections 2 to 4, 6 to 12 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2022 and ending on 29th June, 2023; and
— in the absence of any specific information being presented which points to the inadequacy of the ordinary courts in the administration of justice in Ireland with specific regard to offences listed under sections 6 to 9 and 12 of that Act, and acknowledging the views of multiple national and international human rights agencies that have raised serious concerns regarding the operation of the Special Criminal Court, resolves to proactively and progressively implement societal and justice reform measures which, within a specified period of time being no later than 2025, ensure that section 14 of that Act should not continue in operation after that date."
- (Deputy Catherine Murphy)

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.

Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 19; Níl, 77; Staon, 31.

  • Bacik, Ivana.
  • Barry, Mick.
  • Boyd Barrett, Richard.
  • Cairns, Holly.
  • Gannon, Gary.
  • Harkin, Marian.
  • Howlin, Brendan.
  • Kelly, Alan.
  • Kenny, Gino.
  • McNamara, Michael.
  • Murphy, Catherine.
  • Murphy, Paul.
  • O'Callaghan, Cian.
  • Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
  • Pringle, Thomas.
  • Shortall, Róisín.
  • Smith, Bríd.
  • Smith, Duncan.
  • Whitmore, Jennifer.

Níl

  • Berry, Cathal.
  • Brophy, Colm.
  • Browne, James.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Burke, Colm.
  • Cahill, Jackie.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Canney, Seán.
  • Cannon, Ciarán.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
  • Chambers, Jack.
  • Collins, Michael.
  • Costello, Patrick.
  • Coveney, Simon.
  • Cowen, Barry.
  • Crowe, Cathal.
  • Devlin, Cormac.
  • Dillon, Alan.
  • Donnelly, Stephen.
  • Donohoe, Paschal.
  • Duffy, Francis Noel.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • English, Damien.
  • Farrell, Alan.
  • Feighan, Frankie.
  • Fitzpatrick, Peter.
  • Flaherty, Joe.
  • Flanagan, Charles.
  • Fleming, Sean.
  • Foley, Norma.
  • Griffin, Brendan.
  • Harris, Simon.
  • Haughey, Seán.
  • Healy-Rae, Danny.
  • Healy-Rae, Michael.
  • Heydon, Martin.
  • Higgins, Emer.
  • Kehoe, Paul.
  • Lahart, John.
  • Lawless, James.
  • Leddin, Brian.
  • Lowry, Michael.
  • Madigan, Josepha.
  • Martin, Catherine.
  • Matthews, Steven.
  • McAuliffe, Paul.
  • McConalogue, Charlie.
  • McEntee, Helen.
  • McGrath, Michael.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • Moynihan, Aindrias.
  • Moynihan, Michael.
  • Naughton, Hildegarde.
  • Nolan, Carol.
  • Noonan, Malcolm.
  • O'Brien, Darragh.
  • O'Callaghan, Jim.
  • O'Connor, James.
  • O'Donnell, Kieran.
  • O'Dowd, Fergus.
  • O'Gorman, Roderic.
  • O'Sullivan, Christopher.
  • O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
  • Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
  • Ó Cuív, Éamon.
  • Phelan, John Paul.
  • Rabbitte, Anne.
  • Richmond, Neale.
  • Ring, Michael.
  • Ryan, Eamon.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Smyth, Niamh.
  • Smyth, Ossian.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Troy, Robert.
  • Varadkar, Leo.

Staon

  • Andrews, Chris.
  • Brady, John.
  • Browne, Martin.
  • Buckley, Pat.
  • Carthy, Matt.
  • Conway-Walsh, Rose.
  • Cronin, Réada.
  • Crowe, Seán.
  • Cullinane, David.
  • Daly, Pa.
  • Doherty, Pearse.
  • Donnelly, Paul.
  • Ellis, Dessie.
  • Farrell, Mairéad.
  • Funchion, Kathleen.
  • Guirke, Johnny.
  • Kenny, Martin.
  • Kerrane, Claire.
  • Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
  • McDonald, Mary Lou.
  • Munster, Imelda.
  • Mythen, Johnny.
  • O'Rourke, Darren.
  • Ó Broin, Eoin.
  • Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
  • Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
  • Quinlivan, Maurice.
  • Ryan, Patricia.
  • Stanley, Brian.
  • Tully, Pauline.
  • Ward, Mark.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Catherine Murphy and Cian O'Callaghan; Níl, Deputies Jack Chambers and Brendan Griffin.
Amendment declared lost.

Given the number of abstentions on this vote-----

Gabh mo leithscéal, Deputy. I am in the middle of giving the result of the vote on the amendment to the motion.

There is a very high level of abstentions in the vote on this very important issue.

This is totally out of order.

Why is it out of order?

I am in the middle of giving the result of the vote. Tá buaite ar an gceist.

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.

(Interruptions).

The difference between the "Tá" and "Níl" votes is greater than ten.

(Interruptions).

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."

Question put: "That the motion be agreed to."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 90; Níl, 7; Staon, 31.

  • Bacik, Ivana.
  • Berry, Cathal.
  • Brophy, Colm.
  • Browne, James.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Burke, Colm.
  • Cahill, Jackie.
  • Cairns, Holly.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Canney, Seán.
  • Cannon, Ciarán.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
  • Chambers, Jack.
  • Collins, Michael.
  • Costello, Patrick.
  • Coveney, Simon.
  • Cowen, Barry.
  • Crowe, Cathal.
  • Devlin, Cormac.
  • Dillon, Alan.
  • Donnelly, Stephen.
  • Donohoe, Paschal.
  • Duffy, Francis Noel.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • English, Damien.
  • Farrell, Alan.
  • Feighan, Frankie.
  • Fitzpatrick, Peter.
  • Flaherty, Joe.
  • Flanagan, Charles.
  • Fleming, Sean.
  • Foley, Norma.
  • Gannon, Gary.
  • Griffin, Brendan.
  • Harkin, Marian.
  • Harris, Simon.
  • Haughey, Seán.
  • Healy-Rae, Danny.
  • Healy-Rae, Michael.
  • Heydon, Martin.
  • Higgins, Emer.
  • Howlin, Brendan.
  • Kehoe, Paul.
  • Kelly, Alan.
  • Lahart, John.
  • Lawless, James.
  • Leddin, Brian.
  • Lowry, Michael.
  • Madigan, Josepha.
  • Martin, Catherine.
  • Matthews, Steven.
  • McAuliffe, Paul.
  • McConalogue, Charlie.
  • McEntee, Helen.
  • McGrath, Michael.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • Moynihan, Aindrias.
  • Moynihan, Michael.
  • Murphy, Catherine.
  • Naughton, Hildegarde.
  • Nolan, Carol.
  • Noonan, Malcolm.
  • O'Brien, Darragh.
  • O'Callaghan, Cian.
  • O'Callaghan, Jim.
  • O'Connor, James.
  • O'Donnell, Kieran.
  • O'Donoghue, Richard.
  • O'Dowd, Fergus.
  • O'Gorman, Roderic.
  • O'Sullivan, Christopher.
  • O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
  • Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
  • Ó Cuív, Éamon.
  • Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
  • Phelan, John Paul.
  • Rabbitte, Anne.
  • Richmond, Neale.
  • Ring, Michael.
  • Ryan, Eamon.
  • Shortall, Róisín.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Smith, Duncan.
  • Smyth, Niamh.
  • Smyth, Ossian.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Troy, Robert.
  • Varadkar, Leo.
  • Whitmore, Jennifer.

Níl

  • Barry, Mick.
  • Boyd Barrett, Richard.
  • Kenny, Gino.
  • McNamara, Michael.
  • Murphy, Paul.
  • Pringle, Thomas.
  • Smith, Bríd.

Staon

  • Andrews, Chris.
  • Brady, John.
  • Browne, Martin.
  • Buckley, Pat.
  • Carthy, Matt.
  • Conway-Walsh, Rose.
  • Cronin, Réada.
  • Crowe, Seán.
  • Cullinane, David.
  • Daly, Pa.
  • Doherty, Pearse.
  • Donnelly, Paul.
  • Ellis, Dessie.
  • Farrell, Mairéad.
  • Funchion, Kathleen.
  • Guirke, Johnny.
  • Kenny, Martin.
  • Kerrane, Claire.
  • Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
  • McDonald, Mary Lou.
  • Munster, Imelda.
  • Mythen, Johnny.
  • O'Rourke, Darren.
  • Ó Broin, Eoin.
  • Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
  • Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
  • Quinlivan, Maurice.
  • Ryan, Patricia.
  • Stanley, Brian.
  • Tully, Pauline.
  • Ward, Mark.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Jack Chambers and Brendan Griffin; Níl, Deputies Richard Boyd Barrett and Thomas Pringle.
Question declared carried.

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.

Does Deputy Griffin not know the rules?

The rules certainly would be broken if Sinn Féin is ever in government.

A Deputy

Great timing, Dessie.

(Interruptions).

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.

The Fine Gael Deputies are rowdy.

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009-----

I asked the Leas-Cheann Comhairle a question but did not receive an answer from her.

Will you please resume your seat, Deputy?

As a Whip and a teller, I asked a question of the Chair and did not receive an answer.

I answered you, Deputy.

Respect the Chair, Deputy Griffin.

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.

Will the Leas-Cheann Comhairle please clarify? She did not answer me.

There is no provision for taking the vote in the manner the Deputy has requested, given the result of the electronic vote.

I want to record my disgust that 31 Members of Dáil Éireann abstained in a vote on a motion on the Special Criminal Court.

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