Session collapses due to lack of quorum

Debate on the controversial Criminal Justice Bill collapsed in the Dáil yesterday because an insufficient number of Government TDs were in the chamber.

Minister of State for Justice Brian Lenihan had just got to his feet to reply to the introductory debate on the Bill, when Sinn Féin's justice spokesman, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, called for a quorum.

It was 15 minutes before the scheduled end of the discussion but the Government side was unable to come up with the required 20 TDs after the quorum bell finished ringing and the Leas-Ceann Comhairle suspended the Dáil.

When a quorum is called a bell rings to alert deputies and the onus is on the Government to ensure 20 TDs are in place. A number of Government backbenchers and Ministers came in including Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O'Donoghue and Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan.

However the Government could only muster 14 by the time proceedings were suspended, the vast majority of deputies having gone to the Fianna Fáil Ardfheis in Citywest.

Labour Party chief whip Emmet Stagg afterwards described the failure to provide a quorum as an embarrassment for the Government and an example of its incompetence and disregard for the Oireachtas.

In a statement, he said that "Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, who was yesterday observed doing a crossword during the debate, was nowhere to be seen".

The last time the Dáil collapsed for lack of a quorum was in June 2003, again during a Friday sitting, when the House was discussing controversial environment legislation transposing EU directives on waste into Irish law. On that occasion 11 Government TDs made it to the chamber, including Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

The Criminal Justice Bill includes provisions to strengthen bail laws, change the right to silence, provide stiffer mandatory sentencing, and tackle organised crime. The majority of parties have supported the thrust of the legislation but criticised the handling of its introduction and the guillotining of discussion on the provisions of the 128-page legislation.

Sinn Féin is the only party to oppose the Bill and Mr Ó Snodaigh, who called the quorum yesterday, described it as "draconian in nature and a dangerous gift to an inadequately reformed police force".