Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, I do not intend to query the Ceann Comhairle's ruling, or to undermine it, but I would have to say that I share considerable sympathy with what Deputy Boyd Barrett has said and with the fact that an entire Private Members' motion on a subject that has been a matter of debate here for quite some time is being ruled out. The case is that the Government has not treated the House with respect in terms of the money message. The Government consistently abuses the money message to prevent good legislation from being debated and progressed through the House. For example, the Shared Maternity Leave and Benefit Bill 2018, tabled by Deputies Lisa Chambers and O'Loughlin, involves no additional cost to the Exchequer. It simply shares out an existing resource in terms of the benefit in that situation to men. The comment by Government is it might effect a change in the administrative mechanisms of the Department of Justice and Equality and it is ruled out because of a money message.

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