Mattie McGrath criticises speaking rota chaos and whip failures
Deputy Mattie McGrath criticised the handling of the speaking rota and accused whips and the chief whip's office of failing to ensure his group would be reached. He said he had checked with the chief whip's office, was told there would be insufficient time for his group, and expressed frustration at members arriving late and seeking to change the rules.
Summary of complaint
Deputy Mattie McGrath said he was told his group would not be reached and that there was only "half an hour, 40 minutes" of time, leaving insufficient opportunity for speakers. He described running up to the chamber and finding the rota and timing were not working for his group.
Checks with the chief whip's office
He said he rang the chief whip's office and was told who the listed speakers were, but was also told his group would not be accommodated. He added that if the failure applied to the government chief whip's office, then so be it, noting there had been a list of names.
Late arrivals and calls to change the rules
McGrath complained that after the minister had responded, members arrived late and asked the House to change its rules to allow them to speak, despite not being present in time. He criticised attempts to "throw the rules of the House out" and compared such behaviour to a "Mickey Mouse residence association".
Whip responsibilities and remuneration
He argued that whips have a responsibility and staff to support them and said that those responsibilities should be carried out; he noted his view that whips have been remunerated for the role but stated on the record that he personally does not receive whip pay. He urged that the breakdown in procedure should not happen again.
Call for procedural clarity
McGrath pressed for better adherence to the rota and for whips and their staff to ensure speakers are present in future sittings. He warned that the procedural confusion witnessed should be addressed so proper order is maintained in the House.
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Deputy McGrath Deputy McGrath I'm a whip insurer, I'm getting whipped obviously, but I did check, and in fairness to the staff in the chief whips office, I rang, I was downstairs, it was even worse, and I was told we weren't going to be reached by any shape maker firm, our group, there was, you know, there was only half an hour, 40 minutes of time, so, and actually I came up, when I started, the ministry, I ran up, but just finished, so, you can't, you can't monitor, if people aren't turning up to speak, and they're supposed to speak, you can monitor, and last time, you had certainly, in the last stall, when your group was going to be speaking, because there was a rota, and you knew it, and you knew if I saw Richard Byle Barrett Hub, I was legging it up the stairs, because of my lads, because we were next, and now, the government's one didn't know between, you know where you are, so, it's not working, and, Deputy McGrath, with the greatest respect, there was no problem with the rota, Deputy Mairead Farrell, and Deputy Louise Murphy, Louise O'Reilly, my apologies, were here, and made their contribution, there was nobody else here, Deputy La Harte was here from the government, and wasn't seeking to participate, nobody else here, and then, when there was nobody else here, and the minister had responded, people came in, and wanted us to throw the rules of the house out, wanted us to behave like some sort of a Mickey Mouse residence association, and change the rules to suit them, to let them speak, even though they hadn't been here in time, So, look, I'm not getting into an argument with members about it, the situation is, whips have a responsibility, they need to carry out that responsibility, they've been remunerated for it, and they have staff to support them in doing it, it didn't happen yesterday, and it should have, and it shouldn't happen again, I would say to you. Yes, Deputy Matty, I don't get a thing and a one for a whip, you know that yourself, I don't get a shilling, and you're the only one who doesn't. Yes, well, that's very important. You don't take it? Yeah. Yeah. But no, Deputy Matty, where a grad doesn't get it. I don't, so I'm just saying, I never looked for either, but that's the fact of it, but I checked, as a whip, used to even do my duty, I checked with the government chief whips office, who were the list of speakers, and I was told, look, forget about it, because it's only happened. Well, I'm not responsible for the government chief whips office. I'm not blaming the government, they told me, they had a list of names. If what I'm saying applies to the government chief whips office, so be it. No, the list of names were there. And I was, we weren't going to get an earring, and I came up yesterday, but I didn't protest when I came up, which was going out, but I did run up, and I didn't say a word. All right.
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