In accordance with an Order of the House today, I must put the following question: "That the Bill is hereby read a Second Time, that sections 1 to 4, inclusive, Schedules 1 and 2 and the Title are hereby agreed to in Committee, that the Bill is reported, without recommendation, received for final consideration and ordered to be returned to the Dáil."
Appropriation Bill 2012 [Certified Money Bill]: All Stages
On a point of order, the Appropriation Bill goes through this House on the nod every year. While I said yesterday in this House that the Seanad cannot write cheques, this is effectively a cheque for €50 billion. It is the one measure we cannot vote against because if we did all public services would have to close. This is crucial legislation, debate on which ceased almost 20 years ago. We should have a debate on this legislation, which all previous Governments put through on the nod. It is a pity that this continues.
The Senator's point is well made.
The Order of Business has been agreed, as the Senator knows.
The Seanad divided by electronic means.
Question put.
I wish to point out that the Fianna Fáil Members were present in the Chamber but chose not to vote.
That is not relevant.
It is very relevant.
It is very important to mention that Fianna Fáil Senators were present but chose not to vote.
Mar agóid i gcoinne na leasaithe a bhí rialaithe as ord, táimid ag iarraidh, faoi Bhuan Ordú 62(3), "go ndéanfar an vótail arís ar shlí seachas trí mheán leictreonach".
Question put:
The Seanad divided: Tá, 35; Níl, 8.
Tá
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Bradford, Paul.
- Brennan, Terry.
- Burke, Colm.
- Clune, Deirdre.
- Coghlan, Eamonn.
- Coghlan, Paul.
- Comiskey, Michael.
- Conway, Martin.
- Cummins, Maurice.
- D'Arcy, Jim.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Gilroy, John.
- Harte, Jimmy.
- Hayden, Aideen.
- Healy Eames, Fidelma.
- Henry, Imelda.
- Higgins, Lorraine.
- Keane, Cáit.
- Landy, Denis.
- Mac Conghail, Fiach.
- McAleese, Martin.
- Moloney, Marie.
- Moran, Mary.
- Mulcahy, Tony.
- Mullen, Rónán.
- Mullins, Michael.
- Noone, Catherine.
- O'Donnell, Marie-Louise.
- O'Keeffe, Susan.
- O'Neill, Pat.
- Sheahan, Tom.
- van Turnhout, Jillian.
- Whelan, John.
- Zappone, Katherine.
Níl
- Barrett, Sean D.
- Crown, John.
- Cullinane, David.
- Norris, David.
- Ó Clochartaigh, Trevor.
- O'Brien, Mary Ann.
- Quinn, Feargal.
- Reilly, Kathryn.
Tellers: Tá, Senators Paul Coghlan and Aideen Hayden; Níl, Senators David Cullinane and Trevor Ó Clochartaigh.
Question declared carried.
On a point of order, I wish to indicate, for the record, that Fianna Fáil Senators were present in the Chamber for the walk-through vote but that they chose not to take part.
That is not a point of order.