McDowell rejects SF MP’s call for Dáil speaking rights

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has rejected calls for the North's Westminster MPs to be given speaking rights in the Dáil.

Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy made the call yesterday, saying the elected representatives of Irish citizens should be allowed to contribute to Dáil debates.

However, Mr McDowell said today that the Dáil was for representatives elected in the Republic and the North's MPs had plenty of opportunities to air their views in other public forums.

"I went north and spoke at an SDLP event, but it doesn't allow me to walk into the Assembly in Northern Ireland or into Westminster and start speaking there," he said.