Richard Boyd Barrett accuses government of rigging opposition
Richard Boyd Barrett said Ciancola compromised her independence by involving herself in a grubby deal between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Michael Lowry, whom the Moriarty Tribunal found to be profoundly corrupt. He accused the government of not caring about corruption and of slashing parliamentary scrutiny to gag the opposition.
He said the Ciancola had compromised the integrity of her position and her independence by involving herself in the grubby deal that was done between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and Michael Lowry.
He reiterated that Michael Lowry was found by the Moriarty Tribunal to be profoundly corrupt and used that finding to underline his criticism of the deal and those involved.
He argued the government "don't care about corruption" and accused them of being willing to do anything to sustain themselves in power, dismissing accountability as secondary to maintaining control.
He said the government already control the purse strings, the Dáil schedule and all the legislation and claimed they now seek to "rig the opposition" by further constraining parliamentary time and processes.
He highlighted recent reductions in parliamentary time, noting Taoiseach's questions had been slashed in half and citing 45 minutes removed from both government and opposition, as well as cuts to private members' time and the order of business.
Compromised independence
He said the Ciancola had compromised the integrity of her position and her independence by involving herself in the grubby deal that was done between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and Michael Lowry.
Allegations about Michael Lowry and the Moriarty Tribunal
He reiterated that Michael Lowry was found by the Moriarty Tribunal to be profoundly corrupt and used that finding to underline his criticism of the deal and those involved.
Accusation that the government tolerates corruption
He argued the government "don't care about corruption" and accused them of being willing to do anything to sustain themselves in power, dismissing accountability as secondary to maintaining control.
Control of parliamentary business and legislation
He said the government already control the purse strings, the Dáil schedule and all the legislation and claimed they now seek to "rig the opposition" by further constraining parliamentary time and processes.
Cuts to scrutiny and Taoiseach's questions
He highlighted recent reductions in parliamentary time, noting Taoiseach's questions had been slashed in half and citing 45 minutes removed from both government and opposition, as well as cuts to private members' time and the order of business.
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Transcript
Regrettably, the Ciancola has compromised the integrity of her position and her independence by involving herself in the grubby deal that was done between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and Michael Lowry, the politician who was found by the Moriarty Tribunal to be profoundly corrupt. And the reasons for that, obviously, are that the government, you know, don't care about corruption and they're quite willing to do anything in order to sustain themselves in power. A hundred years of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael isn't enough for you. Controlling the purse strings isn't enough for you. Controlling the Dáil schedule isn't enough for you. Controlling all the legislation isn't enough for you. You want to rig the opposition and undermine it and gag it as well. So you are the ones who are subverting democracy and then you cover all that with utterly dishonest, knowingly dishonest claims like it's only eight minutes. We had the spectacle earlier on of government TDs jumping up and down like jack-in-the-boxes during Taoiseach's questions, 45 minutes of Taoiseach's questions. They will be doing the same tomorrow except for you've slashed Taoiseach's questions in half. 45 minutes gone from government and opposition. What scrutiny, me or Martin, doesn't want. That's why the government are so keen on this. Time slashed off private members. Time slashed off order of business. Because not only do you want to control everything, not only do you want to maintain yourself in power, but you want to gag, silence and subvert the opposition so you're not subject to scrutiny or criticism.