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Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie

We'll be hearing a lot more from politicians after the summer recess

If you like listening in on Dáil debates, this upgrade will make it easier for you to figure out what’s going on.

POLITICIAN’S VOICES AND opinions will be given a lot more attention after the summer.

Not so much because they’ll have more to say, but because the Dáil chamber will be upgrading its sound systems when the Dáil rises for the summer recess on 21 July.

The upgrade includes the replacement of critical aspects of the Dáil chamber equipment, mainly microphones, voting components and modern chamber and committee room graphical display units.

This not only means that those who wish to listen in will be able to hear what politicians have to say more clearly, but that more of the Dáil’s debates will be of “the recommended voice reinforcement standards for broadcast quality”, and presumably will feature in more radio and television reports.

Earlier this year, there was uproar when the Dáil announced that it would take a longer summer recess than usual to allow for works and upgrades to Leinster House.

Voting system upgrade 

The electronic voting system in the Dáil chamber also needs to be upgraded to provide a button for TDs who want to abstain on votes. Currently, there is only a facility to cast a vote for or against a proposal.

The voting system was installed in 2001 and its operating systems are based on unsupported and out-of-date media. The current voting display has become increasingly difficult to support as spare parts are not easily available, which makes repairs more difficult.

The voting display will be replaced with a modern, high-resolution and remotely controllable, graphical display units that can quickly summarise voting-data visually; display documentations, presentations and videos to displays around campus.

Including the removal of old units and cabling and the installation of new equipment, the 250-year-old building’s upgrades will take eight weeks. The project is due to be completed before the Dáil reconvenes on 27 September.

Read: Leinster House is crumbling, here’s why they want to close it for the summer

Read: Fed up with election posters? One council is looking at banning them

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27 Comments
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    Mute Tom Red
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    Nov 1st 2014, 8:43 AM

    Heard about this story through the grapevine yesterday……

    296
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    Mute Jennie
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    Nov 1st 2014, 8:56 AM

    Song number 2 won’t pay for me….

    204
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Nov 1st 2014, 12:41 PM

    Neither will play for me. Does this mean they’re the same?

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    Mute Rocky Jones
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    Nov 1st 2014, 9:20 AM

    Might help if you could play them?

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    Mute Ollie Ryan
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    Nov 1st 2014, 9:28 AM

    ‘This video is not available’

    101
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    Mute 3monkey
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    Nov 1st 2014, 9:37 AM

    Ditto

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    Mute Ciarán Behan
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    Nov 1st 2014, 9:07 AM

    Song two broke

    95
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    Mute johngahan
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    Nov 1st 2014, 8:51 AM

    Robbin’ Thicko.

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    Mute Stan Stynes
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    Nov 1st 2014, 8:42 AM

    Where’s the option for they don’t sound alike, because they don’t sound alike?

    66
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    Mute Elaine Brennan
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    Nov 1st 2014, 10:27 AM

    Ian dempsey played blurred lines a few weeks ago. ..the very last thing I ever want to hear again is the song finishing and Ian continuing with ‘I know you want it..’ puke!

    56
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    Mute Brian Mulligan
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    Nov 1st 2014, 10:44 AM

    Ian has recently taken to singing the last few lines of another song in an Irish /Caribbean accent “all about da bass, da bass” Makes me want to eat my own face!

    36
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    Mute Sergeant Yates
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    Nov 1st 2014, 8:55 AM

    Reminds me of the great Morecambe and Wise sketch when playing for Andre Previn – and he tells Eric that he’s playing the wrong notes – ‘i’m playing the right notes – but not necessarily in the right order’.

    52
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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
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    Nov 1st 2014, 9:40 AM

    Another rip off, if you look hard enough you’ll probably find a lot of modern songs do this. I remember people used to say Kid Rock was putting his own twist on Sweet Home Alabama with that summer song he had, turned out he’d taken the whole thing from another song called Werewolves of London. In his case I think he had permission but he just keeps it quiet so people think he wrote it himself. A lot of these so-called musicians’ only talent is being marketable. It’s even more obvious now the only reason Pharrell Williams was brought in for Blurred Lines was exposure, not for his musical ability because they already had the bones of the song and anyone could turn Gaye’s into Thicke’s with the software that’s available now. It’s a soulless industry now.

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    Mute Charlie Mountney
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    Nov 1st 2014, 10:03 AM

    Does there come a point where modern pop simply runs out of notes to play an starts to consume itself?

    Anyhow, never mind all that. To my ears, pop music a la Spin South West sounds bloody awful. If young people were listening to stuff I liked that would be more of a concern. C’mon da Biffy an all that.

    Anyone notice how much Dylan’s “With God on our Side” sounds like “The Patriot Game” by our very own Dominic Behan?
    There’s a true scandal.

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    Mute Jennie
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    Nov 1st 2014, 8:56 AM

    Play *

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    Mute Hugh Cavanagh
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    Nov 1st 2014, 1:38 PM

    This non playback situation is happening regularly on the Journal. Why don’t you check what you’re posting guys as its very annoying and amateurish.

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    Mute Jennie
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    Nov 1st 2014, 9:42 AM

    Video playback restricted on certain sites….?

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