Last Tuesday, Deputy Michael Ring was expelled from the Dáil for the second time since he was first elected a TD in 1994. Below, he explains what led him to lose the rag with the newly-appointed Ceann Comhairle and once-christened 'The ‘Bull’ O’Donoghue
I was driving to Dublin last Monday night (June 28) and was almost in Athlone when I realised I had a commitment the next morning in a Hollymount nursing home with a constituent. I had spent the whole day in my clinic and had attended a few funerals. I got up at 7am on Tuesday morning, opened my post, went to the meeting in Hollymount for eleven o’clock and then headed for Dublin.
I suppose I arrived into the Dáil around quarter-to-four. We had been told by the party that we had to be whipped-in for the vote for Padraic McCormack [the Fine Gael nominee for Leas-Cheann Comhairle]. He’s a Galway TD, a long, loyal servant of Fine Gael, and a personal friend of mine.
When we got into the Dáil the proposals came first for Brendan Howlin, by the Taoiseach and Pat Rabbitte. [The Ceann Comhairle, Deputy John O’Donoghue, had been appointed the previous Thursday.]
Enda Kenny then got up to propose Padraic McCormack, but [John] O’Donoghue put him down. Then Richard Bruton tried to make a point for Fine Gael and they had a few words and he was put down. [Sinn Féin’s] Arthur Morgan then got up to make a point about procedure, O’Donoghue named him three times after he refused to sit down.
He said it three times: “Deputy Morgan you have to leave the Dáil.” That’s the procedure [for expulsion], it’s called ‘naming him’. However, he wasn’t expelled.
So then I said: “You’re making up the rules as you go along.” He asked me to withdraw my remarks. I said I wouldn’t. Eventually, he ‘named’ me’. I said: “I won’t leave the Dáil.”
So when you refuse to leave the Dáil, then there must be a vote. [However], since the Order of Business had already been voted on, the expulsion vote couldn’t be voted on until the next day.
Next thing, the Captain of the House and one usher came and asked me to leave. I said I was elected. He said he was only doing his job and he left. I said: “Well, I was elected and the Ceann Comhairle was selected.”
[The Government Chief Whip] Tom Kitt then asked me to leave.
Negotiations then took place between Tom Kitt, our whip Paul Kehoe and the Ceann Comhairle was informed. I asked him what Standing Order he was using to put me out. All the legal brains of the Dáil gathered but they couldn’t [find a way to] put me out.
You see, I was just looking for fair play. We were stopped from nominating Padraic McCormack because they said the nomination had to be made four days in advance.
But then the Labour Party should have given four days notice too for Brendan Howlin.
I wanted the Ceann Comhairle to come out and say to the House that he was going to treat the House and [Fine Gael Chief Whip] Paul Keogh fairly.
Finally that was agreed by the Dáil and they also allowed us put our nomination forward; notwithstanding the fact that Brendan Howlin had been nominated and was in situ.
So [John O’Donoghue] was forced to make a statement that he would be fair and impartial, no Ceann Comhairle has ever had to do that before. I have written to the Clerk of the Dáil for clarification of the matter. If I was wrong in the beginning, why was I right in the end?
I was very upset leaving the Dáil. After all, it wasn’t a nasty remark, it was just a political charge. Afterwards I went for something to eat with my colleagues and then worked in my office for the night.
In an interview with
Áine Ryan
