The Civil Partnership Bill Second Stage Debate – It Continues
Posted by Maman Poulet on 25 Jan 2010 at 11:14 pm | Tagged as: Blogging, Equality, Irish Politics, LGBT, Same Sex Partnerships
The Civil Partnership Bill Second Stage Debate will resume this Wednesday 27th January some time between 11.30 and 1.30pm. There are two other bills for debate during this time before contributions can be made. Who’s left to speak? Personally I’m still waiting for Lucinda.
You can watch it here and of course join in the liveblog here.
And off we go again… maybe you’ll get your wish for Lucinda, but I would like to see more paticipation from the Dail members! I think there were five (the famous five) in the chamber last time – I’m simply appalled and I don’t know why that wasn’t taken up by the media (that criticism applies more generally I guess).
There have been some fine, interesting speeches and some woeful crap by members like Mansergh. Additionally, I would say that the media heavily censored the bizarre comments by Mansergh,but the media took up the sole issue of the ‘conscience’ clause.
There’s about 150 TDs who haven’t spoken, or who didn’t bother their asses to turn up/get out of the Dail Bar… perhaps when this is all over, we should have a list of those who remained silent? Usually they have opinions on all and sundry but why the distinct lack of interest? There’s no incentive for them to participate. You know, if I don’t sign on monthly, I get cut off and now, if I don’t turn up between 11.30-12 on the day I will be cut off… somehow, you’d think for the money they get, they’d at least make a show. Even make a show of themselves. Something!
It’s that old chetsnut Sean about an empty chamber – I don’t want to see bored TD’s in the house talking about stuff they know nothing about. I hear it all the time about TD’s not being there but they are not supposed to be there all the time and it’s a fundamental misunderstanding about the role of parliament or what people think their TD’s are there for. In terms of this debate I would rather hear the people who are expert or responsible for issue talking and those who are otherwise interested. Maybe there has not been significant lobbying on the issue or just maybe there are loads of TD’s not comfortable to speak. No parliament has members speaking on every issue.
Watching the amount of parliamentary coverage that I do there are many different topics and many different debates and participants. Do you think Michael Fitzpatrick is really interested? Cos that is that the result of wanting people to not remain silent and reading from preprepared pages by someone else.
I hear it all the time about TD’s not being there but they are not supposed to be there all the time and it’s a fundamental misunderstanding about the role of parliament or what people think their TD’s are there for.
Agree 100%. There’s committees and a number of other things going on at the same time. Same goes for this old chestnut of the ‘Dáil holidays’ – as if all the TDs are off sunning themselves when the Dáil isn’t sitting.
I do understand the “old chestnut” thesis, but on an issue of morality and values, there is a need for TDs to make a political statement by their visibility. I’m not that naive to expect all 166 to participate, nor gullible enough not to recognise a script when I hear it. It is disheartening to see so few in the chamber when visible, embodied support would be so valuable and it is appalling to see people being ‘fed’ a line about what to say.I’d like to know who’s been supplying the crossnotes because people will never grow into evolved politicians when they rely on teleprompter politics.
Sean – just because they are not present does not mean they are not listening to the debate – The TDs have screens in their office that show the debate that is going on –
You seem to be under the misconception that the Dail Bar is a semi permanent home for all of our TDs as well – I can assure that while some do spend time there they spend a lot more time doing work; research work, constituency work
Also – the press is not going to pick up on something unusual – The main times that you see a fuller house are – election of Ministers, the budget and sometimes leaders questions or a controversial bill e.g. NAMA
[...] Equality, Irish Politics, LGBT, Same Sex Partnerships Still getting the links together from the Civil Partnership Debate yesterday (the bill has passed it’s Second Stage and has been referred to the Select Committee on [...]