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OPPOSITION TDS WALKED out of the Dáil this afternoon after a row over the failure to hold a debate on the establishment of a Commission of Investigation into allegations of malpractice by some gardaí in the border area.
Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, independent and smaller party TDs walked out of the Dáil after a lengthy row during the Order of Business over a ruling from the Ceann Comhairle to forego debate on the terms of reference for the commission.
The deputies then held a joint press conference on the Leinster House plinth this afternoon, claiming the situation was unprecedented and unacceptable.
Both Gerry Adams and Micheál Martin described proceedings as “a farce”.
https://vine.co/v/OTEZFpI19Dv
The Commission of Investigation will examine allegations of malpractice in the Cavan-Monaghan Division of An Garda Síochána following the findings of a report by barrister Seán Guerin into claims made by the garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.
Guerin’s damning report led to the resignation of justice minister Alan Shatter last May.
The Fine Gael TD has since lodged a High Court action to overturn some of the Guerin report’s findings.
Some of today’s issues stemmed from a letter written by Shatter’s solicitors to the Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett last November.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dáil today that Shatter wrote to the Ceann Comhairle through his solicitors, Gallagher Shatter, last November to raise issues with plans to debate the terms of reference for the commission in the Dáil.
Barrett subsequently ruled that the motion to establish the commission could be moved without any debate. In a note to TDs last night, Barrett said that a debate could not be held as the “matter is currently sub judice”.
Micheál Martin and Gerry Adams both questioned Barrett’s decision in the Dáil today. Martin pointed out that the matter was not before a jury therefore it could not be sub judice.
He said that Barrett’s ruling “essentially muzzles this house” and said that the emergence of correspondence from Shatter had come “at the eleventh hour”.
Outlining the position of the Ceann Comhairle, who was not present in the house, Enda Kenny told the Dáil the government was “happy to have a debate” but said that Barrett is “utterly independent” and had made his ruling.
Opposition protests could not prevent a vote being called by Leas Ceann Comhairle Micheál Kitt.
This prompted the opposition to stage a walkout.
As a result the motion to establish the Commission of Investigation passed unanimously.
On the plinth, independent TD Mick Wallace claimed that he had asked the Taoiseach in the Dáil yesterday whether correspondence from Shatter’s solicitor had resulted in the debate being pulled.
He said that Kenny and justice minister Frances Fitzgerald “gave us impression that there was no correspondence”.
A senior government source denied this impression had been given.
They insisted this afternoon that the Taoiseach had disclosed the Shatter correspondence when asked about the matter during today’s Order of Business.
They added that the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation were exactly as Guerin has recommended they should be.
Originally published 3.38pm
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She claims to have known that Smith was being radicalised online before she left Ireland but was ‘shocked’ when she heard about her links to Islamic State? Alrighty then.
@Luke Lee: I’m afraid the facts don’t support what Carol Duffy believes, Lisa Smith was a member of the Irish Defence forces, and not a naive 15 year old running away looking for adventure. She had become radicalised and knew what she was entering into, even if we take Duffy at her word the fact is Lisa Smith has been ‘brainwashed’, the damage is done.
And Carol Duffy herself is a recent convert to Islam, it was she who helped introduce Lisa Smith to it, she said of Smith’s interview and the revelation of her ISIS membership “people like Lisa ruin it for the rest of us”. Not exactly impartial then? Just like the British girls, Smith hasn’t expressed any regret for her actions and, like them she seems to cling to some vain hope that the Caliphate isn’t over yet, not yet. These don’t sound like the words of someone we could trust.
Leo meanwhile speaks of “the compassionate thing to do”, yet he seems very selective about doing it, and with whom. When we see other, clearly Irish citizens, in desperate need of assistance abroad, perhaps they’ve been attacked etc. the most Leo can offer is some trite words and ‘the Irish consulate will offer assistance’. Yet when an Irish woman deliberately and knowingly travelled to give support and assistance to one of the most violent terrorist groups who have committed almost every human rights atrocity known to mankind, and several previously unknown, bringing her home is the compassionate thing to do.
I’d like to say ‘on your head be it Leo’, but even that isn’t quite so simple. The truth is we honestly don’t know just how much of a threat this woman presents to this nation, but Leo’s willing to take that chance and gambling what isn’t his to give. Our lives and those of our children.
@Mike Keane: I appreciate that you may not agree with me, yet I have presented you with facts and reason, quoting effluent does not constituent an intelligent argument. How many times have we seen terrorist attacks carried out in the UK, France, Belgium, Australia etc. where each time the phrase used is “the terrorists were radicalised abroad and known to authorities.” Just because this intelligent woman made the decision to travel to what was then the Caliphate to take part in a religious war and expansion, get married to a member of ISIS, and have a child there, we have a duty of care to the people of this island to refuse to blindly accept her back. Had he not blown himself sky high, would we be as quick and compassionate to accept Khalid Kelly back to Ireland, I very much doubt it? However when it’s a woman with a child we quickly hear cries of ‘she was duped, ‘no, that wasn’t the Lisa Smith I knew’, and ‘we must do the compassionate thing’. The fact is she’s an intelligent woman who freely made the decision to go to the Caliphate and join the most barbaric terrorist organisation in recent history. She didn’t go there for humanitarian reasons or to report on the suffering, she went there to join them, to be active with them. Like many others she hasn’t expressed any regret and has indicated she doesn’t believe the Caliphate is over, perhaps she may not even wish to return to Ireland.
@Luke Lee: and she should have reported her suspicions to the authorities. Lock her up too!
@Arch Angel: well said. The British girl Begum was 15 and indoctrinated but smith was a grown woman who, we must not forget, is a trained killer. As you said, be it on Leo’s head. If he puts Irish citizens in danger with this woman, then he will have to retire. Between this and the children’s hospital, I, for the first time, will not vote FG again.
It would be a giant step forward if fellow muslims in Ireland came out and criticised her and anyone else from they’re flock for supporting or joining ISIS.
@John Scott1281: p
@John Scott1281: plenty have.
@John Scott1281: btw Saudi Arabia murder more women and gay men than ISIS ever did yet we still sell beef to them.
@Peter McGlynn: “WE” dont , politicians do.
@Peter McGlynn: you don’t get Irish beef out here no more . Local , Australian NewZealend & Camel ! Can’t even get Kerry Gold butter bit you can get Irish Eggs ! Somebody needs to do a trade mission out here Quickly ! YELLA
@John Scott1281: lol ‘flock’, yes she should just flock off.
@Peter McGlynn:
Look forward to seeing your stats…
@John Scott1281: it would be a giant step with all Catholics stand against the abuse carried out by the church.
Instead many welcomed the pope to Ireland while at the same time the church refuses to pay millions and cooperate with investigations.
@RJ.Fallon: ‘we” do. Can you imagine the uproar from the farmers if Ireland pulled out of that trade agreement?
@James Wallace: Yes, I have to agree with you.
I think this whole fiasco sends the message that the government is willing and ready to take back anybody in situation similar to hers. Just read yesterday that thr British government revoked the citizenship of two more girls who went to Syria. The fact that this government is putting the national safety on the line for somebody like her is unbelievable.
@Tommy Chen: those two are eligible for Pakistani citizenship through their parents. As far as I know she isn’t eligible for anything other than Irish citizenship, so I’d presume we’re stuck with her. Regarding the lad from Belarus however, he should be left to rot
@Pól Ó’hAodha: her husband was from tunisia (according to the article ) so does her child have duel irish /tunisian citizenship – was the child born in syria or tunisia? seeing as most countries would allow the mother of any child to stay with that child -would she not have the right to become a tunisian citizen?
She also knows a Ninja.
@prop joe: darth sidious makes his comeback!
Lisa smith. Future rte sweet heart!
“Duped” please… The savages that we cant strip citizenship from need to be imprisoned.
We need to take off the PC gloves and carry out a proper investigation into the mosques to determine who’s doing the ‘radicalising”. If this isnt nipped in the bud, Paddi Jihadi will haunt us for years to come.
@RisingSpirit: She’s 37 now she was a 28 year old adult in 2010 when she started attending the mosque, she had served in the air corps and therefore had no diminished mental capacity, there’s no way she was “duped” she knew right from wrong.
@RisingSpirit: paddi jihadi…is he from darndale?
Bring her home on the government jet and stick her in the penthouse suite at the intercontinental. All expenses paid indefinitely so she can have a good long think about what she did. She needn’t bother coming out until she’s ready to apologize. Then a few hugs and a bit of fluffy counseling. That’ll teach her.
You don’t get duped at her age. Try again.
Ya Lisa’s sound. Likes a good old beheading but other than that salt of the earth. I say rte can’t contain themselves with the prospect of interviewing her
@niamh ryan:
Turbridy will have her on Friday night after he’s finished interviewing lunch lady Doris from the RTÉ canteen
@niamh ryan: Rumour has it RTE are going to give Lisa her own one hour show. So the caring,loving side of ISIS can be fully shown to the ignorant Irish. This show will go out seventeen times per week mainly in the afternoons and early evenings so the youth of Ireland will be fully informed. There is also a rumour Labour want her to run for them in the up coming euro elections.
@Michael Duckster: I am sure we will hear all about it in the 15 articles a day the journal will be doing on her
@Michael Duckster: A joint ticket with Ibrahim for SF in Tallaght perhaps?
She should be sent to face trial in Syria and face the full consequences of her actions and when she has finished serving her time she can then return to England as she states in her interview she is British and let them deal with her in whatever way they see fit
Lisa Smith (L) and an unidentified woman (R)….. unidentified male or female (R)
@Paul A Whelan: On (R) is unidentified female, Males are treated with a small bit more respect in this religion
My only question is, if Carol Duffy and other members of her mosque, knew that Lisa Smith was becoming radicalized, did they report it to the authorities, and if not, why not?
C U Next Tuesday.
My money is on her mate in the picture being the groomer
It’s one thing to carry on as a member of a religion you were indoctrinated into as a child when you can no no better. But i dont understand how in this day and age, educated, grown men and women can willingly sign up to a new religion, any religion. Having said that, I am very strongly in favour of freedom to practice (in private) whatever religion you like as long as you don’t harm anyone else, but that freedom also implies a freedom for others amongst us to find your beliefs and practices fairly ridiculous.
@Ronan Fahy: no = know = face palm
If her terrorist husband was still alive she wouldn’t want to come home..
she is getting a much softer treatment than khalid kelly
How many more Jihadis are walking around Dublin I wonder? How long till a Manchester style attack comes to Croke Park? Not long if Varadkar has anything to do with it. Sitting in Clonskeagh Mosque talking about how great the whole ideology is!
When is she on the late late show?
An unidentified woman? It’s clearly darth sidious!
@Shane Murphy:
Worse …… an unidentifiable woman!
She is an Isis terrorist who fully supported and is part of a truely evil and barbaric crowd, end of
We know well what religious brainwashing can do in this country, we still feel the chilling effects today when you look at the opposition extremists to SSM and Repeal Referendums. I hope this woman is able to undo it and get some semblance of a normal life again at home here in Ireland with family and friends. Thankfully her rights are protected by Bunreacht na hÉireann.
@Orla Smith: Chilling effects today? Both referendums passed you plonker. The only one here whose brainwashed is you.
@Luke Lee: I stated the opposition to the Referendums, get an adult to read for you!
@Orla Smith: sounds like you’ve been radicalised
@Orla Smith: you’re a sad case “Orla”
An unidentified woman? It’s clearly darth sidious!!!
@Shane Murphy: Third times a charm !
Such a pity there isn’t a St Patrick’s Day parade in Syria one of our idiot ministers could have brought her home with them.
@SunTannedTim: if they got her home before the weekend she could lead the ISIS float in the Paddy’s day parade
How about she and the baby come back home and are supported and funded by the pro-life gang?
@Susan McConnell: but it’s most likely the Pro-Death gang that will want to bring her back to a nice cosy social housing unit
What a load of crap
Ole Duffy was not going to ruffle any feathers in the interview anyway. Even signed of with praise be to allah good man joe
#hybristophilia
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