TDs get tired and emotional over late bar

DÁIL SKETCH:After the emotional scenes in the Dáil the night before, it was a low-key day in Leinster House.

Deputies and Senators were still talking about the moving reaction from the Magdalene women to the Taoiseach’s very fine apology to them on Tuesday evening.

But there were displays of deep emotion earlier in the day too, brought on by the Government’s announcement that the Dáil would be sitting until after midnight to debate the second stage of the Finance Bill.

Micheál Martin became quite overwrought, as did Richard Boyd Barrett.

“To be frank, the Finance Bill should be discussed in broad daylight and should be given a reasonable timescale,” complained Micheál.

“I don’t understand what the rush is ... I just don’t see why. It’s almost reminiscent of December when we were rushing things through prior to the Christmas break.”

Boyd Barrett was disgusted. “I want to object in the strongest possible terms to the Finance Bill – which is probably one of the most important Bills that will pass through the Dáil in the course of this year – being taken this late at night,” he thundered.

“You’re never happy,” sniffed the chief whip.

“I didn’t ask you,” shot back Richard.

“This is an absolute manipulation and abuse of the democratic process that a Bill of this importance is being taken that late and into the early hours of tomorrow morning.”

He was wise to their game.

“This Bill has profound implications for the solvency of the State and for citizens. It should be discussed in the full glare of public scrutiny and media attention. In my opinion it’s deliberately being put on this late.”

Gerry Adams urged Enda to think of the put upon staff in Leinster House.

All to no avail.

The hickory dickory Dáil finally rose yesterday morning just before the clock struck one. Nobody fell down.

And, as it turned out, the hickory dickory Dáil bar was an oasis of calm and sobriety.

This, despite the foreboding of Adams who, worried about the decision to sit beyond the witching hour, asked that “the bar be closed or that breathalyser tests be introduced for Teachtaí entering the chamber.”

Fine Gael’s Frankie Feighan was incensed. “Some members of your party were in the bar recently when we sat late.

“I was drinking tea and coffee and wasn’t on any hard stuff. Deputy Adams should speak for himself. Members of his party were in the bar on the night in question.”

Whatever about the behaviour of some on Prom Night, deputies were bright and bushy tailed after breakfast, none the worse for their late-night experience.

Frontline TDs working unsociable hours. Another hard case for the Croke Park negotiations.

And speaking of unsociable hours, the women of Ireland deserve a medal. And a bit more sleep.

Independent TD for Waterford John Halligan (quoting statistics produced by an assurance company) had a few people scratching their heads when he said “women working in the home spend an average of 150 hours per week on childcare and housework”.

John was on Leaders’ Questions duty for the Technical Group. He took over from Thomas Pringle recently as one of the group’s spokespeople and has proved a sensible and thoughtful contributor.

In recent weeks he has been concerned with child poverty in Ireland, and yesterday he broadened out the theme to raise the issue of mooted cuts in child benefit.

Low and middle-income families were hurting, he told the Taoiseach, and they would be badly affected if these benefits were cut.

Could Enda give an assurance that these payments would not be changed?

He could not. Instead he referred Halligan to the report of the advisory group on tax and social welfare.

The universal payment is “fundamental”. However, the group considered the question of a two-tier child income support system “where you might reduce the higher paid and produce it for lower-income families and translate that into supports for families for child care, pre-school and all that kind of area”.

Halligan came back at him.

“The worry is that when you speak of income redistribution, everyone knows this means cuts,” he said to a chorus of approval.

Meanwhile, Micheál Martin spoke about low morale in the Garda. Sadly he couldn’t shed any light on the “sangwiches” question raised by Mattie McGrath on Tuesday.

Mattie revisited one of his favourite topics – blocked toilets in Garda stations – before introducing a new Garda-related problem.

“And to make it worse, detectives are being told to leave the scene of a crime, murder crime, because they have to go back to the station to have their sangwiches.”

Why?