Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

------and not bound by orders or instructions, that is, the Whip system. Under the Whip system, one agrees a set of principles and policies as a group of people. One also agrees a set of rules. Within that party, one can change that at any stage if one can manage to get others to agree with you. That is the party system. If one does not agree, one can leave. The door is always open. It is like a football team. If one is on a football team and playing a match, one cannot pick up the ball, run the other way and score a goal against one's team. One will suffer consequences. A person can do it if he or she wishes but I guarantee he or she will never play for that team again.

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