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19/06/2008
Daíl 'In Suspense' Amid Angry Scenes
A row over the absence of the Justice Minister saw the Daíl almost closed for the day as tempers raged between TDs.
Fine Gael claimed Justice Minister Dermot Ahern's failure to attend the Daíl to renew the Offences Against the State Act was an insult to the House.
But the house became incensed after they learned he was holding a news conference to launch legislation on victims' rights.
Fine Gael claimed the conference was merely a stunt to upstage their own party’s Private Members' Bill due next week.
Fine Gael's Alan Shatter accused the Mr Ahern of playing politics with crime victims called the move a cynical attempt to manipulate journalists.
He said: "Minister Ahern and his Government are playing politics with crime victims' lives. Rather than accept, or recommend improvements to, a fully drafted Fine Gael Bill on Victims' Rights that will be debated in the Dáil next week, Minister Ahern is more interested in holding press conferences to announce legislation in the area that does not yet exist and won't see the light of day for another year.
"The Fine Gael Bill could be rapidly progressed into legislation before the summer with Government support."
There were rowdy scenes and a number of suspensions as Junior Minister Barry Andrews tried to move the motion.
The chaos culminated in a threat from Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue to suspend the sitting for the rest of the day.
When Mr Ahern did appear to take the legislation, he said "Mr Shatter was like a spoilt child whose toy had been taken away from him".
(DW)
Fine Gael claimed Justice Minister Dermot Ahern's failure to attend the Daíl to renew the Offences Against the State Act was an insult to the House.
But the house became incensed after they learned he was holding a news conference to launch legislation on victims' rights.
Fine Gael claimed the conference was merely a stunt to upstage their own party’s Private Members' Bill due next week.
Fine Gael's Alan Shatter accused the Mr Ahern of playing politics with crime victims called the move a cynical attempt to manipulate journalists.
He said: "Minister Ahern and his Government are playing politics with crime victims' lives. Rather than accept, or recommend improvements to, a fully drafted Fine Gael Bill on Victims' Rights that will be debated in the Dáil next week, Minister Ahern is more interested in holding press conferences to announce legislation in the area that does not yet exist and won't see the light of day for another year.
"The Fine Gael Bill could be rapidly progressed into legislation before the summer with Government support."
There were rowdy scenes and a number of suspensions as Junior Minister Barry Andrews tried to move the motion.
The chaos culminated in a threat from Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue to suspend the sitting for the rest of the day.
When Mr Ahern did appear to take the legislation, he said "Mr Shatter was like a spoilt child whose toy had been taken away from him".
(DW)
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