Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan, today called for the Oireachtas Committee on Procedure and Privilege to investigate how Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley was recorded voting six times in the Dáil last Thursday despite not being present in the chamber.

Teachta Quinlivan also called for last Thursday’s Dáil votes to be re-taken, due to the “disgraceful behaviour of Fianna Fáil TDs who brought the integrity of the votes and that of the Dáil into disrepute.”

Speaking today Deputy Quinlivan, who had brought forward the Sinn Féin motion on the Living Wage which was part of the compromised votes, said;

ʺLast Thursday Sinn Féin brought forward an important motion on the Living Wage and sought the Dáil’s support for our policy on introducing a Living Wage for workers.

ʺI was delighted our Living Wage motion was passed by the Dáil, but unfortunately the behaviour of two particular Fianna Fáil TDs has brought this positive result into disrepute.

ʺI will be asking the Ceann Comhairle, in line with Standing Orders 76 and 77 which deal with irregularities of Dáil votes, to have these votes retaken next week, in order to remove this cloud of wrong-doing from the result.

“I will also ask the Ceann Comhairle to have the Committee on Procedure and Privilege to investigate the matter fully as well.

ʺI appreciate the retaking of the vote on our Living Wage motion may not deliver the same positive result, however I would prefer a genuine result, rather than one that had been tarnished by a compromised vote.

ʺIt’s an absolute disgrace that Fianna Fáil TDs think they can act with such disregard for the rules and show such a level of arrogance by voting in the name of another TD not present in the Dáil Chamber.

ʺI have no doubt the Ceann Comhairle will fully investigate serious wrongdoing, and I would expect Deputies Timmy Dooley and Niall Collins to at the very least apologise to the Dáil next week for their dishonest behaviour. ʺ

ENDS