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Updated 2 hours ago
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has been accused in the Dáil of setting a “dangerous precedent” as opposition leaders turned to him for his response to the Seamus Woulfe controversy.
The government has insisted that Justice Minister Helen McEntee’s offer to address priority questions on the issue is sufficient, but opposition parties have called this suggestion “a sham.”
The deterioration of relations between the government and other parties on the issue has also caused opposition parties and groups to withdraw from the Dáil Business Committee. The committee meets every week to agree on the Dáil agenda for the following week.
Woulfe was nominated to the Supreme Court in mid-July, several weeks after the Fianna Fail-Fine Gael-Green Party government was formed.
McEntee has offered to answer priority questions on December 1 about the appointment of Judge Woulfe and the process followed by the government.
Under the proposed format, DTs would have to submit their questions to the minister a week in advance and this has been roundly criticized by the opposition. as too stiff.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Labor leader Alan Kelly said the Taoiseach should facilitate accountability among its ministers.
“You are creating the most dangerous precedent that I have seen in this house in my time here. No minister will be responsible here if this is what you, as Irish Taoiseach, let it happen, “he said.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the government’s response was “shocking and unacceptable” and that what was “much worse” was the Taoiseach’s stance.
“Taoiseach, elected representatives and members here have not only the right but the duty to put the necessary questions to the Minister of Justice, and I, for the life of me, cannot understand why you continue to block that legitimate parliamentary work,” he said. said.
“As recently as 2017, you led the charge of responsibility on that occasion and you were right,” McDonald added, referring to Martin’s criticism of the appointment of former attorney general Máire Whelan to the Court of Appeals three years ago.
The government has voted three times to prevent the Justice Minister from making a statement and answering questions about the appointment of a Supreme Court judge. FG / FF obstruct accountability. A shameful abuse of power facilitated by @MichealMartinTD
– Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) November 24, 2020
The co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall, described the government’s offer of priority questions as “a farce”:
“It looks like you are going to be part of the charade that the Minister of Justice is following in terms of saying that it is somehow acceptable for her to come here with the normal oral questions. You know this is wrong Taoiseach, you know in your heart that this is wrong, ”he said.
In response, Martin said the minister would come to answer “normal questions” on the matter. He also defended his own handling of the controversy:
My primary objective in the context of this whole situation and, in particular, the publication of letters between the Chief Justice and Justice Woulfe has been to defend the separation of powers between the Oireachtas and the judiciary. I take it very seriously. And that has been that has been my motivation from the beginning.
The Justice Minister today announced plans for new laws against the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
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At a press conference about that announcement, McEntee said he has tried to make himself available to the opposition.
“The suggestion is that priority issues do not hold ministers to account. What I would say is that every week the ministers answer questions priority to all Members of the party that raise concerns about any topic within that particular department. It has been around for many years, since almost the Dáil began, ”he said.
McEntee also addressed the selection of Woulfe for the Supreme Court vacancy.
“I considered this person to be the best person, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister Ryan and the AG agreed with me and, after that discussion with the four, the name was put to the Cabinet and later agreed by the Cabinet.”
TDs Paul Murphy and Bríd Smith wrote to all party leaders today seeking support in starting the process to remove Woulfe.
“We have written to party leaders asking them to vote in favor of postponing the debate so that the necessary process can be established to properly analyze this matter,” Smith said in a statement.
“We believe that this matter must be investigated properly and we appeal to other leaders of the party to not frustrate the process. Party leaders must remember that this is not a vote for impeachment, but rather a vote to start the process to find out what it really is. “
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