Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Cynthia Bazlamit/Flickr via Flickr

'It's a privilege': Adams told there'll be no changes to how the Dáil regulates the Dáil bar

The ‘status quo’ will stay in place, in spite of the controversy over the issue following two late night Dáil sittings last year.

THERE’S NO PLANS to change the way the Dáil bar operates, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has been told.

The panel of TDs responsible for overseeing the bar’s running have told the Louth Deputy the ‘status quo’ will remain in relation to how alcohol is sold in Leinster House.

The existence of the Dáil bar — and in particular the fact that its allowed to stay open well into the early hours — has been subject to particular scrutiny following a number of late night sittings.

TheJournal.ie revealed last year that on the day and night the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill was debated, €7,000 was spent in the two bars located in Leinster House.

The infamous ‘lapgate’ incident involving Fine Gael TD Tom Barry and party colleague Áine Collins also occurred that night, with Barry admitting that he had consumed “a couple of pints” before it happened.

Adams has also claimed that at least two TDs were intoxicated on the night the Dáil debated the liquidation of the former Anglo Irish Bank as part of the promissory note deal.

He wrote to the Joint Sub Committee on Administration in February, taking issue with its contention that the Dáil Bar – which doesn’t need a licence to operate – is a “parliamentary privilege”,

But in its letter back, the  Joint sub-Committee on Administration told him the status quo would remain…

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

“This highlights how completely detached this Government is from the views of the general public,” Adams said.

“Most people, I would contend, believe that having a bar, that can open until any hour of the morning, in the Dáil, where important legislation affecting the lives of citizens is being debated, is an unacceptable anachronism in this day and age.

“The Dáil Bar should be regulated in the same way as any other bar. Once again, the Committee has failed to deal with an issue, which caused considerable public anger last year.”

The Joint sub-Committee is chaired by Fine Gael TD Joe Carey and includes Emmet Stagg and Jack Wall of the Labour Party, Paul Kehoe and Martin Heydon of Fine Gael, John Browne of Fianna Fail, Independent TD Catherine Murphy and Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

Read: Pints, wine and scones: Nearly €7k spent in Dáil bars during late night abortion debate >

Read: 17 TDs admit they’ve had an alcoholic drink before going into the Dáil chamber >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
45 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daffers
    Favourite Daffers
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 12:55 PM

    Wow. To be the 7th least failed state in the world is mindblowing… simply for the thought that most are in a worse position than us!

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alex simon
    Favourite Alex simon
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:35 PM

    We are better than canada! And the usa not bad

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Treasa Lynch
    Favourite Treasa Lynch
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:21 PM

    Am I reading that right? Only three other EU members are less failed states than Ireland is?

    God that must really irritate the crew who consider us a complete banana republic.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin O Sullivan
    Favourite Kevin O Sullivan
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:03 PM

    i thought everything in the nordic countries was top banna. seeings they are always held up as the ones to be like

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Claire O'Dwyer
    Favourite Claire O'Dwyer
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:09 PM

    That article doesn’t make a whole pile of sense..

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute fizi_water
    Favourite fizi_water
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 2:57 PM

    This ranking is not about quality of life, etc. like some comments suggest you read that. It’s about peace and military risks in particular countries.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ryan Murphy
    Favourite Ryan Murphy
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 6:11 PM

    I suppose it’s “our” fault that seven of the ten worst countries are in Africa.

    Haiti was a cesspit ever before the tragedy there, sadly, and now they’ve turned to raping one another.

    Iraq and Afghanistan are a whole other story!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute fitszpatrick
    Favourite fitszpatrick
    Report
    Jun 24th 2011, 12:10 AM

    Hail the baldy Nazis dem dam nigras don’t have a clue

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ryan Murphy
    Favourite Ryan Murphy
    Report
    Jun 24th 2011, 1:23 AM

    You’re some gowl.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Higgins
    Favourite David Higgins
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 6:05 PM

    I hope we can move up near Switzerland at some stage. Tighter borders, lower-taxes, and they have their own currency!!!

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Finn
    Favourite Dave Finn
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 11:10 PM

    Lower taxes? Really? Any mid Europe states i’ve lived in were thieves when it came to tax! (admittedly i’ve not lived in Switzerland, but it is one of my favourite places!)

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shaafici Cali
    Favourite Shaafici Cali
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 1:40 PM

    really this is propaganda somalia is not leading top list there is bit exageration we aware of that somalia is devastated country and failure state indicating humanitarian crises and human rights abuses ,killing ,abducting, hijacking raping but there is still hope to survive this condition we are not hopeless our people still struggling to control there live style and to restore the country peace and stability so that we are not top list becouse this means no hope

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute fizi_water
    Favourite fizi_water
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 3:03 PM

    Sorry, but what is actually your point, I struggle to understand? Thanks.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute wayupnorth
    Favourite wayupnorth
    Report
    Jun 23rd 2011, 4:11 PM

    I think the point was that “there is hope”.

    And yes, if other countries stopped interfering, there probably would be. For example:
    “The United States has quietly poured weapons and military advisers into Ethiopia, whose recent invasion of Somalia opened a new front in the Bush administration’s war on terrorism …” etc etc. 1/8/2007

    8
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds