Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

Before taking up the post he currently occupies, Deputy Kirk was chairman of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party. When he moved to his current position he took on new responsibilities, one of which was to uphold the constitutional integrity of this assembly. This is not a one party State and the Ceann Comhairle, on behalf of all Members of the House, could have said, when the Order of Business was proposed by the Government Chief Whip without the agreement of the Whips, that elements of it were unacceptable as they infringed the rights of Members.

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