Three probes into Vote Gate. Political Parties need to be made accountable for their voting behaviour

Three probes into Vote Gate. Political Parties need to be made accountable for their voting behaviour – Tóibín

Responding to the Dáil Voting Scandal Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD stated:

“Any TD who is involved in voting on behalf of TD who is not in the Dáil or who votes a number of times on the same Bill should lose the party whip and be removed from their parliamentary party. We have politicians from practically all the large parties elbowing each other to take the high moral ground only for it to emerge that their own TDs have also broken the rules.

“Politicians are great at calling for Dáil reform, yet they have not reformed the behaviour of their own parties when it comes to Dáil votes. There are now three separate investigations into the voting scandal, yet parties, despite calling for reform have not taken meaningful steps to ensure their own TDs do not breach Dáil voting rules. Calls for reform of the political system ring hollow when large political parties haven’t even initiated reform of their own behaviour.

“No TD should be allowed to vote on behalf of another TD at all. There must also be a penalty such behaviour in future.”

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.