POLITICIANS have been sent a report on bad language following an embarrassing Dail spat between Mary Lou McDonald and Taoiseach Micheal Martin.
Last week, the Dail descended into a row over language after the Taoiseach accused the Sinn Fein leader of telling lies in a debate about housing policy.
Mary Lou McDonald said the Taoiseach called her a liar in Irish during a Dail debate[/caption]
The Fianna Fail leader was accused of taking advantage of Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy’s lack of Irish as he fumed at Mary Lou McDonald: “Tá an Teachta Dála ag insint bréaga aris” – which translates to ‘The TD is telling lies again.’
Under Dail rules, TDs are restricted in what they can say about other deputies and should not accuse a TD of being deceitful.
Sinn Fein TDs roared abuse at the Taoiseach following the comment with Pearse Doherty shouting “disgraceful” across the Chamber.
The Ceann Comhairle was forced to her feet to end the row with Deputy McDonald later writing to complain about Martin calling her a liar in the Dail.
The Taoiseach then responded to these claims by writing his own letter to the Ceann Comhairle in which he claimed he “accused the Deputy of telling untruths” and not telling lies.
The Taoiseach’s letter also included a list of instances in the last Dail where opposition TDs used the word ‘liar’ or variations of the word without sanction.
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy today scolded TDs over the use of bad language in the Dail as she looked to put the embarrassing spat to an end.
The Ceann Comhairle has now sent all TDs a report on the use of bad language in the Dail.
She said: “I understand the use of bad language was addressed or examined in 2010 and a report was drawn up by the then Committee on Procedures and Privileges and was circulated to members of the House.
“As a starting point, I will have that report circulated to all members and further have it examined by the Committee on Parliamentary Privilege to see if it needs to be restated and made fit for purpose of the 34th Dail.”
The Ceann Comhairle immediately had to shut down further attempts to reignite the row as Sinn Fein’s Padraig Mac Lochlainn fumed: “Is he not going to withdraw what he said?”
Deputy Martin also tried to get involved in the row again before the Ceann Comhairle scolded: “No Taoiseach, thank you.”
Ironically, just minutes later the Dail descended into another shouting match with accusations of name calling.
FURTHER ROWS
Labour’s Ivana Bacik was questioning the Taoiseach on housing policy when she accused him and the Housing Minister of not showing up for a debate on the issue last week.
Micheal Martin snapped back: “You had an opportunity to go into government and you didn’t show up.”
The Taoiseach accused the opposition parties of being unable to engage in a serious debate on housing without “name calling” and distorting what has been said.
However, the Taoiseach then rounded on the Sinn Fein housing spokesman Eoin O’Broin and raged: “The Deputy persuaded nobody with his codswallop of a set of proposals” in the election.
