Shameful Undermining of Opposition’s Speaking Rights by Government Parties
Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has condemned the government’s disgraceful curtailment of opposition speaking rights, and their attempts to consign opposition voices to the graveyard shift.
Tóibín: “The opposition represent hundreds of thousands of first preference votes from across the country, and who are vital cornerstones of our democracy. The decision by the government parties to censor the voices of opposition within our democracy and to dilute the votes of Irish people. This is the case of the government stopping opposition TDs from doing their jobs, as opposed to the government doing their jobs. Constituencies are essentially being told that if they want their issues raised in the Dáil, then the government is their option. Being held accountable by opposition TDs helped pressurise and scrutinise the government on healthcare, on housing, on the deaths in nursing homes, on the cervical check scandal – the government is doing it’s best to avoid the pressure and accountability opposition TDs bring to bear.”
“Opposition voices are being consigned to the graveyard shifts. The government is getting primacy to ensure the government’s line is most prominent. This government bypassed the Dáil during the pandemic, and this vote seeks to crystallise their increased power and decreased authority of the Dáil.”
