Male TD pulls female colleague into his lap - in the Dáil chamber

Fine Gael TD Tom Barry grabbed his colleague Áine Collins during a break in the abortion debate, but Fine Gael say there ‘was no malice involved’.

By Paul Hosford Thursday 11 Jul 2013, 9:56 AM

Jul 11th 2013, 9:56 AM 50,345 Views 225 Comments

https://jrnl.ie/987972

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=G7j20etLJk8

AN INCIDENT IN which a Fine Gael TD grabbed a female colleague and forced her to sit on his lap has been called ‘silly’.

In the video of the incident, which occurred during a break in the debate of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, Fine Gael TD Áine Collins is seen walking past her colleague Tom Barry. As she playfully slaps the Cork East TD on the arm, he puts his arms around her waist and pulls her into his lap.

A Fine Gael spokesperson said that the incident, while ‘silly’ had ‘no malice involved’.

It was a silly incident that probably shouldn’t have happened, but the two of them are good friends and there was no malice involved.

Reaction on Twitter, however has struck a different note with Barry being described as a ‘caveman’.

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Neither Collins nor Barry were available to comment.

Hat tip; @Mergito

Read: The abortion debate – what happens next?

Read: Debate on abortion bill adjourned at 5am

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Male TD pulls female colleague into his lap - in the Dáil chamber

Fine Gael TD Tom Barry grabbed his colleague Áine Collins during a break in the abortion debate, but Fine Gael say there ‘was no malice involved’.

Read: The abortion debate – what happens next?