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INDEPENDENT TD Violet-Anne Wynne has made history this evening by being the first politician to bring their baby into the Dáil chamber.
During this evening’s Dáil proceedings, Ceann Comhairle Séan Ó Fearghaíl welcomed Wynne back to work at Leinster House.
She then received a cross-party round of applause as she stood holding the baby at the back of the chamber.
“We’re seeing a bit of history being made tonight,” Ó Fearghaíl said.
“Baby Collins is the first actual baby to join us here in the house,” he joked.
'History' was made in the Dáil when Clare TD Violet-Anne Wynne brought her 7-month old daughter Collins into the chamber.
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) September 21, 2022
Ceann Comhairle Séan Ó Fearghaíl commented that it was the first time an 'actual' baby was in the Dáil pic.twitter.com/awD4CZWJTs
In February, Wynne quit Sinn Féin claiming she has been subjected to “psychological warfare”.
The Clare deputy said her continued membership of the party had become “untenable”.
The politician said she felt “pressurised” and was not given autonomy to hire her own staff.
Elsewhere
In 2017, an Australian senator made political history by becoming the first politician to breastfeed in the nation’s parliament.
Senator Larissa Waters, from the Green party, fed her then two-month-old daughter Alia Joy during a vote as she returned to work in the upper house Senate for the first time since giving birth.
The lower house changed its rules in 2016 and joined the Senate to allow lawmakers to breastfeed and bottle-feed in the chamber, however no MPs from either house had done so until Waters.
Breastfeeding has been permitted in the Australian Senate since 2003.
In the UK, a cross-party review recommended in June of this year that MPs should not be allowed to bring babies into the House of Commons chamber during debates.
The Procedure Committee report was ordered amid an outcry over Labour’s Stella Creasy being told she can no longer have her baby son with her.
The group ruled that MPs should not bring babies into the chamber or nearby Westminster Hall if they want to “observe, initiate, speak or intervene in proceedings”.
But they said there should be a “degree of de-facto discretion” that “should be exercised sparingly”.
With reporting by Press Association
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I think it’s deadly. Your loss Ennistymon.
@Dearbhla O Reilly: exactly …. It’s pure class.
Fair play to you Harte and fair play to the people of Carron; by and by, some of the worlds best loved art works weren’t universally liked when they were first unveiled so you’re in good company.
It’s a class piece of work. Fair play. The “priest” brought it up at mass….. we are still listening to them:-( Move on. With about 700 religions around the world set up to prey on the vulnerable we are still afraid to stand up to ours. Hopefully the next generation will have zero subserviency to them and grow up with no impression instilled in them
@Niall Gannon: Such bollixology doesn’t become you. €30k of tax payer’s money to produce works of art like that? And the cost keeps rising, due to relocation etc; Hope there’s no Mica in the Púca. Should be sent to Poulaphuca and be drowned!! Most modern day “artists” I know, couldn’t draw the dole!!
@Sean O Callaghan: jealous much?
@Sean O Callaghan: wow…everyone’s an art critic and then there’s you…relax boy…don’t be such a philistine!
@Sean O Callaghan: how many do you know
@Niall Gannon: what has this article got to do with religion? You say the “priest” brought it up at mass, and you go on an anti religion rant, why are you going to mass if you don’t agree with it?, what are you, seven years old?
@Julian King: I don’t think he was at mass when the priest brought it up.
Most people would know that one of the things that started the controversy was PP Fr Willie Cummins denouncing it from the altar at Sunday Mass.
Apparently he decribed it as ‘sinister’.
I believe Fr Cummins has since been relocated back to the 17 century.
@Julian King: the priest denounced the statue and all of a sudden ” we don’t want the statue here”. Hopefully my sons generation do not have to deal with this crap from men in robes who have no life skills. The sooner the better the church is done here the better imo.
It has already taken on a life of its own.
Very much like the legend.
The fact that it caused so much debate is testemony to its briilance. Imho
It’s something different, I wouldn’t mind getting a present of it.
It’s a magnificent sculpture absolutely stunning.
It’s pure class I think it’s a lovely piece ,I’m willing to bet a small portion of my wages that a small group of probably retired gossipers who have been allocated too much power in the community of Ennistymon are responsible for this bad decision and the people of Carron will forever be grateful for this gift.
@old rusty 1: ageist
A stunning piece of art.
if we start hunting withes like in the middle ages then .. maybe the next victims sould be the leprechauns whose images are sold all around ireland to swarms of tourists : mugs, tshirts, key rings etc etc .. they are quite more famous that this poor Puca ! Bravo to the town which agreed to welcome this statue which remembers all of us that myths are the founding fathers of all civilisations !
Delighted it has found a home, I love the movement and style it has.
The days of some priest denouncing from the pulpit are well over. Shame on you Willie Cummins
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