Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Over the course of the weekend I was asked by somebody in my constituency whether it would be okay if they showed up at a polling station and voted for their friend because their friend could not make it. Of course, the answer was, "No, absolutely not." There cannot be one law or standard for citizens and the electorate and a different one for Deputies. The real concern is beyond the antics of Deputies Niall Collins and Dooley and others in Fianna Fáil. Is this a pattern of behaviour? Was it an isolated incident, or is there some unwritten, implicit or explicit agreement between some Deputies that it is all right to cast a vote for colleagues who are not present? That needs to be established. I absolutely accept, a Cheann Comhairle, that you will do your work diligently in respect of last Thursday's turn of events, but the big question for the people is whether it is how we do our business here. That is what citizens are asking. Aside from not sitting in the correct seats and the almost farcical comedy it was, is something else at play? How will we establish if that is the case? Beyond the inquiry and investigation that will be carried out by the Ceann Comhairle, how will we establish whether this is a pattern of behaviour engaged in by Fianna Fáil in the House and how will we deal with the matter? What is the Taoiseach's view, as Head of Government?

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