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Updated 2.05pm
THIRTEEN LABOUR TDs missed last night’s Dáil vote on a bill to repeal the 8th Amendment amid suggestions some may have missed it on purpose.
United Left TD Clare Daly’s private members’ bill to hold a referendum to repeal the controversial constitutional amendment, which enshrines the protection of the life of the unborn, was defeated by 110 votes to 13. The proposed legislation was opposed by the government parties, Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and some independents.
Many in Labour have recently called for a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment, but the party has stressed it does not have a mandate to go any further on the issue in this government.
A total of 13 of Labour’s 34 TDs were absent for the vote including several deputies who have been outspoken in calling for the widening of abortion laws such as junior minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Ciara Conway. The Tánaiste Joan Burton and her predecessor Eamon Gilmore were also missing.
Some had agreed pairings with opposition deputies as they had other commitments. Though the absence of TDs from Dáil votes is not uncommon, the unusually high number of Labour absentees has led to suggestions that some purposely missed the vote.
One party source suggested prior to last night’s vote that some deputies could be “missing”. Several of the absent Labour deputies contacted by TheJournal.ie would not comment this morning.
Labour whip Emmet Stagg, who was also absent due to a constituency engagement, said that all of the missing TDs had “an agreed absence” adding that he was aware of the large majority that would be voting against the bill in the Dáil
Labour’s official policy is to make it legal to obtain an abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and it’s also likely to include a commitment to hold a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment in its next manifesto.
Burton is on record as saying she would like cases of fatal foetal abnormality covered by abortion law in this country and has also indicated she could support legislating for abortion in cases of rape and incest.
The other absent Labour TDs were Anne Ferris, Michael Conaghan, Eamonn Maloney, Eric Byrne, Willie Penrose, Seán Sherlock, Ruairí Quinn, and Michael McCarthy.
Some confirmed they had agreed pairings with opposition deputies, including the Tánaiste who had commitments in the Seanad. Ferris could not attend as she was dealing with a serious family illness. Byrne also confirmed that he had a pairing.
Sherlock, the junior foreign affairs minister, has had a pairing for a number of weeks due to his commitments with the Northern Ireland talks in Stormont.
Stagg did not directly comment on the claim that some TDs were absent on purpose but noted that Labour’s Christmas party was taking place last night.
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The brave Left ? …ran away when they were put to the pin of their collar ….
any T.D. who denies the people a referendum is not a democratic politician – I don’t care what the issue is or whether I agree with it or not !
Sinn Féin voted with the government on this. Shameful.
Brian as far as I know the Sinn Fein decision was made based on how the Ard Fheis voted last year. At the end of the day the grassroots decision needs to be respected if you go against them you go against what you stand for and represent. I’m not saying the decision was the right or wrong one but you have to stand by your policies and those who chose them
And so it seems their policy is to decide for us and not hold a referendum. This is little more than party first and people second.
“At the end of the day the grassroots decision needs to be respected if you go against them you go against what you stand for and represent.”
Ok, just so we’re all clear on this, Sinn Féin are NOT a pro-choice party. Remember that when you go to the polls.
A party of the left?? REALLY?
Labour can run but they cannot hide
Daryl they are elected to represent the people who voted for them not just party members
Niall I understand that but the point I’m making is that those who vote for them vote for the policies that grassroots
members decide upon. As a SF supporter I also think the chance that Peader Tobin could have voted against the party and being ‘whipped’, so to speak was another influential reason in them voting the way they did, which in my opinion is wrong and is not how democracy should work. (For the record I also think the whip system should be done away it, as highlighted above creates flaws in real democracy)
Abortion is a very sensitive and personal opinion. People have a right to vote as to how they feel. I do believe a referendum is needed. But before can be done every thing needs to be taken into consideration. At least they turned up and had balls to vote no matter how much people like you try to use against them. Unlike 13 labour tds who couldnt be arsed.
Referendum is needed but only when every angle corner dealt with for protection of a child and mother and ofc a father.
Sinn Fein said they didn’t have a policy on the 8th amendment, how many decades has it been
I prefer to call labour, the green/pd party cos that’s exactly where they’re headed and good enough for them too.
Strange how labour always seem to have a mandate…. Except when it suits them.
Labour Tds like Sherlock and Kelly have publicly stated their oppostion to abortion. But it is the rest of them who wont make their views public that would just make you want give up. This reference to a ‘mandate’ actually means to ‘focus groups’. Why don’t they forget the focus groups and do something principled for once. Just this once?
Apologies, I meant to upvote that but but accidentally hit the downvote button.
Appalling to see Sinn Fein voting this way, in cahoots with the regime, with Fianna Failure, and the Labour renegades.
But sure all along these forces have been applying with women’s lives if deference to the Catholiban.
Sorry — “all these forces have been playing with women’s lives, in deference to the Catholiban”.
iOS 8 — weird autocorrect.
What the hell are these people being paid for???
Can somebody please explain to me what exactly it is that Labour do?
They lick the spittle off the underneath of the gravy spoon
Democracy is clearly dead. Get rid of this shower and this outdated style of governance.
Most people are in favour of this and as representitives of us (the public ) .. shouldn’t they be voting in favour of repealing it.
Too busy filling in their expense forms to attend
Just like water charges we will see SF jump on this and say we will offer a referendum if we get into power in 2016 once it remains in public eye for a few weeks!
No they won’t. Sinn Féin are NOT pro-choice. They’re complete cowards on this issue. They’re just going to keep the head down and say nothing, just like they did during the summer when the scandal of Ms Y broke. They don’t want to scare away all those former Fianna Fáil voters or any transfers.
Every little hurts
I would expect nothing more from this shower of turncoats and traitors.
Saw an interview last night where a minister with hubris announced that there might be support for better abortion legislation in liberal Dublin, but that sentiment is not shared with our country cousins.
In other words, the country is being held back by rednecks. I wonder if that’s true.
Jake is a paid shill for urban liberalism
On my oh my
Such destain for anyone who lives outside Dublin
Nothing wrong with country folk.
“Nothing wrong with country folk.”
I have a problem with people who want to take us back to the 1950s no matter where they live. It was the government minister (whose name escapes me) on RTE last night who tied the problem to RedNeckism.
From my experience the liberal dubs are the biggest villagers in this country, they get shocked and hostile when they find out anyone from outside their goldfish bowl has a more modern opinion then them.
Jake, I think most people in this country, whether from Dublin or not, are vastly in favour of repealing the 8th. The issue is not where you are from geographically but where you are from politically, as in, especially in this case, it is politicians voting overwhelmingly for no. Whichever minister it was, I would see it more as deflection of the issue.
What the hell see these people being paid for???
Funny that Journal commenters are always so opposed to Irish political decisions. Why don’t you join politics and make the change you want? Is it because you are all uneducated idiots? Is it because you are populists who really don’t know anything about the issues you bang on about? Is it because it is easier to sit on your couch, and be an armchair activist, rather than actually working your way into a position of power?
I’m not a primary school teacher so I definitely don’t see a future for myself in poli dicks :)
You hit the nail on the head Jimminy, I bet if there was a referendum nearly half of them wouldn’t even turn out to vote, I would actually bet on it.
YAAWWWNNN
Why can’t the European Parliament have a pairing system …..
The list of how they voted is here.
Remember the names in Green, next Election time when they come to your doorstep begging for your votes.
http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/dail2014121700064?opendocument
This looks like a bit of a non-story.
31% of absentees were Labour TDs.
21% of the Dail are Labour TDs.
It would only take a couple of extra voters to bring the percentages back into line.
At most you might say that a couple of Labour TDs went against their party policy. Conway and Ferris would make sense based on what they’ve said in the past. I doubt O Riordain did, given that he’s a minister now.
Labour TDs should take every chance they get to cast a vote in the Dáil. After all, most of them won’t be TD’s after the next election is done. Enjoy it while you can, Deputies.
Spineless
gutless
Labour Christmas party more important than women’s rights … Goodbye labour !!
How would abortion in cases of rape be implemented? Surely by the time that the male’s guilt is ascertained it’d be much too late? In cases of incest it’d be easy enough to extract dna from the foetus (I’m assuming) and cross reference it with the alleged father within a reasonable time frame and carry out the procedure.
I’m no fan of Labour, but really, so what. We all know they would have voted against the bill if they had voted at all. There’s more to criticise in the fact that they are still Labour TDs in the first place.
Voting against choice leaves open the prospect of an SF FF coalition. It’s a signal. Martin may be against but not all FF are. Other than on a few taxation issues there isn’t in truth much “left” about SF. In Europe it would be seen as a radical nationalist party. It doesn’t sit well on the left right axis. It’s core values relate to the national question, which in all truth is not in the front of the mind of the Irish left.
After being elected should the Dail business not take precedence over any other business that they may have. I’d love to be able to miss work and tell my boss “sorry but I have a prior engagement”.
” it’s also likely to include a commitment to hold a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment in its next manifesto.”
Like that will be worth anything, coming from Labour.
Is there a list of TDs who voted Yes and No available somewhere?
looney left making fools of themselves yet again
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