Anti-evictions bill requires Ceann Comhairle vote to break tie

The Ceann Comhairle had to use his casting vote in the Dáil to avoid defeat for the Government.

The Ceann Comhairle had to use his casting vote in the Dáil today to avoid defeat for the Government.

A vote on an anti-evictions bill from the Anti Austerity Alliance People Before Profit resulted in a tied vote of 51 apiece after Fianna Fáil abstained.

Earlier, Fine Gael and its independent colleagues suffered a heavy defeat in a vote on setting up a compensation fund for tillage farmers, tabled by Fianna Fáil.

The anti-evictions bill would have removed the sale of a property as a ground for terminating a tenancy, and would require landlords pay compensation to tenants if they were taking back the property for use by a relative.

Ceann Comhairle Sean O'Fearghail said he would do as his predecessors had done and cast a vote with the Government. It was the first time in seven years that the casting vote of the Ceann Comhairle was needed to help the Government avoid defeat.

He said: "The result of the vote is yes 51 no 51 being equal numbers. Abstentions 35.

"There is an equality of votes there so pursuant to article 15.11.2 of the constitution I must exercise my casting vote now and in accordance with precedent I vote for the question in this case the result of the vote now being yes 52, no 51, the question is therefore carried."