Round two of McDonald Dáil suspension row set for Tuesday

A row over the suspension of Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald from the Dáil is expected to continue when the House resumes on Tuesday.

Ms McDonald only left the chamber after a four-hour protest, when Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett formally adjourned proceedings for the day.

She was suspended after a 64 to 43 vote at 12.30pm when she refused to resume her seat, and then when asked, refused to leave the chamber.

Mr Barrett this afternoon issued a statement saying the stand-off in the Dáil chamber was “deeply regrettable, especially when important business is being dealt with by the Dáil”.

That included ongoing debate on a number of pieces of legislation, including the Social Welfare Bill.

Ms McDonald had risen to complain that Tánaiste Joan Burton refused to answer her questions about whether charges would be deducted from the social welfare payments, pensions or wages of those who refused to pay the charge.

Ms McDonald had been ordered out by Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett after she refused to resume her seat at the end of her allocated time for Opposition leaders’ questions.

She had earlier insisted that Joan Burton should “put people’s minds at rest” and make it clear today that there would be no deductions of unpaid water bills from wages, pensions and social welfare, and no attachment orders made.

She said the public wanted the charges abolished.

The Tánaiste said Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly would next week announce a package of proposals relating to Irish Water.

While no agreement had been finalised, she was very confident the package would be one which would address single households and those with two or more people.

“The charges will be modest and extremely affordable,’’ she added.

Ms Burton said what people were saying to her was they wanted clean, reliable water.

In Roscommon they did not want to boil water as they had been doing for 12 years, she added.

Opposition TDs shouted "answer the question", and Government chief whip Paul Kehoe said Ms McDonald had refused to answer questions on RTÉ's Morning Ireland earlier.

When the Sinn Féin deputy leader rose to say that Ms Burton had not answered her question, she was told the resume her seat by Mr Barrett. He then ordered her from the chamber.

She refused again to leave when voted out.

Ms McDonald once again said she would not leave. Mr Barrett then suspended the Dáil and asked the Captain of the Guard to ensure the Sinn Féin deputy leader left the chamber.

The captain spoke briefly to Ms McDonald at three different intervals over the next hour, and to party chief whip Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

An Oireachtas spokeswoman said the Dáil would remain suspended until Ms McDonald left the chamber, or until 2pm on Tuesday.

Two hours after the Dublin Central TD was voted out of the House she remained in the chamber surrounded by some of her parliamentary party colleagues.

The Tánaiste had left the chamber and Minister for Health Leo Varadkar remained along with a number of Government TDs.

Subsequently all Fine Gael and Labour TDs left the chamber.

Ms Burton then returned to collect her documents and was heard to say “this is a waste of time”.

Sinn Féin TD Sandra McLellan said she could have avoided all the trouble if she had just answered the questions.

Ms Burton retorted that Sinn Féin should have answered questions yesterday during the debate on alleged sexual abuse by republicans.

When the Ceann Comhairle returned to formally adjourn the Dáil, about 15 TDs were in the chamber.