Coalition blushes spared in votes
A number of Fianna Fáil TDs and senators were unexpectedly absent, catching the party’s whips by surprise.
In the Dáil, the Government has a majority of six, but because of absences won successive votes during the order of business yesterday morning by margins of two and three votes respectively.
Government chief whip Pat Carey made light of the narrowness of both votes last night, saying: “A couple of members were some place where they shouldn’t have been, that’s all.”
Matters were worse for the Government in the Seanad, where it had to rely on the casting vote of the chair, Pat Moylan, to rescue it on a couple of occasions.
As with the Dail, routine business in the Seanad is decided by means of an electronic system which allows members vote by pressing “yes” or “no” buttons at their seat. However, party whips have the option of requesting a manual vote, whereby members will separate into yes and no lobbies and have their votes recorded on a list.
The difficulties for the Government in the Seanad arose during votes on proposed amendments to the Defamation Bill. A first vote was tied – 21 to 21 – forcing Mr Moylan to exercise his casting vote in line with Article 15.11.2 of the Constitution.
He voted with the Government.
A short time later, the Government actually lost a second vote, which was done electronically as a matter of a course.
However, before the result could be called, Fianna Fáil called for the vote be taken again manually, in which the Government and opposition tied, this time 22 to 22.
Mr Moylan again came to the rescue of the Government by exercising his casting vote in its favour.
Fine Gael senator Eugene Regan said only the late arrivals of Fianna Fáil senator Geraldine Feeney and Green senator Deirdre de Burca and the chair’s casting vote had rescued the Government.
