- IN THE DÁIL
- KILDARE
- NATIONAL ISSUES
- COMMUNICATIONS & ENERGY
- CHILDREN & YOUTH AFFAIRS
- disABILITY & SPECIAL NEEDS
- ECONOMICS, BUSINESS & FINANCE
- EDUCATION
- ELDERCARE
- ENVIRONMENT
- HEALTH
- JOB CREATION & UNEMPLOYMENT
- LAW, JUSTICE, DEFENCE & POLICING
- POLITICAL & PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM
- PLANNING & DEVEPOPMENT
- SOCIAL PROTECTION
- TRAFFIC & TRANSPORT
- COMMUNITIES & HOUSING
- ELECTIONS & REFERENDUMS
- MY WORK AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
- Stay Connected
Social Media
Statement on Deputy Mick Wallace
Myself and my Independent colleagues in the Technical Group have issued the following statement in response to today’s news reports regarding Mick Wallace.
In response to media queries about Mick Wallace TD we would like to make it clear that we do not condone his behaviour, we believe he has done wrong and that he should be equally accountable as any other TD or ordinary Irish citizen.
Anyone who is not aligned to a party is automatically entitled to membership of the Technical Group under the rules of the Dáil.
As the statement says, I do believe that Mick’s actions on this matter were wrong and I do not in any way support them; a point which I have conveyed to him personally.
In terms of Mick’s membership of the Technical Group, I’m keen to clarify the nature of the Technical Group we have formed given that there have been a number of questions put into the public domain today regarding whether members can be excluded from it or not.
Fundamentally the Technical Group is just that, a “Technical” group. Under the rules of the Dáil (or Standing Orders) there are two types of groups that are allowed to operate in the Dáil: one is a political party of 7 members or more; and, the other is a group made up of independent members and political parties of less than 7 members, such a group must also have at least 7 members.
The reason such a group is necessary is that the rules of the Dáil favour political parties as it is political parties who drafted these rules. If you don’t belong to a recognised group your ability to engage in debates, to participate in committees and have motions or bills discussed is extremely limited, as a result forming such a group is necessary for many of us.
While members of our group at times work together on issues we do not have the same level of political association that exists within political parties so we don’t enjoy the same recognition as political parties nor do we operate under the same type of governing principles as them. In short, we cooperate for the purposes of parliamentary procedure.
I hope that this in some way clarifies my position as a member of the group and today’s events.
CM
Posted by admin
on June 7, 2012. Filed under National Issues.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
Social Media