THERE HAS been mixed reaction from Dáil deputies to new dress regulations emerging from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges which are expected to be approved by a majority in the House.
At a meeting of the committee on Thursday, Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett proposed that all male deputies wear a tailored jacket and a shirt with a collar, but that wearing a tie would be optional.
When it was pointed out that female TDs were not mentioned in his one-page plan, the committee agreed that clothes made of denim should not be worn, to prevent members of either gender wearing jeans.
The sole dissenter from the proposed new rules was North Kildare Independent Catherine Murphy who is chief whip of the technical group in the Dáil.
She said she did not think the technical group, which includes casual dressers such as Richard Boyd Barrett, Luke “Ming” Flanagan and Mick Wallace, would approve the new dress code.
She also said it was more representative of the public’s mode of dress to have members who dressed casually, “rather than people walking around in suits”.
An unnamed member of the committee responded: “We don’t want to make any martyrs.” Ms Murphy replied that this was what would happen.
When, as expected, the code is approved by a majority in the House, any instance of non-compliance will be in the same category as disorderly behaviour and the member in question could be suspended.
The intention is to bring in the new standing order before the summer recess and to have it applied in the autumn.
The issue is likely to be discussed at the next meeting of the technical group on Tuesday.
Sinn Féin chief whip Aengus Ó Snodaigh was not present at the meeting, but party sources indicated last night that party leader Gerry Adams would be likely to comply if asked to wear his jacket in the Dáil.
“We all dress very well,” a Sinn Féin source said. Even when the party leader appeared in shirt-sleeves, he brought his jacket with him.
Fine Gael Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton said: “Anybody who represents the Irish public in the national parliament should show some degree of respect for the Houses of Parliament and I have no time for people wearing jeans into the Dáil chamber.”
United Left Alliance TD Richard Boyd Barrett told The Last Wordon TodayFM last night: "People voted for me based on what I'm wearing now, they're not expecting me to change who I am or how I look because I got a seat in Dáil Éireann."
Independent TD for Wexford, Mick Wallace said: “I think this is a load of nonsense, I’m dressed properly all the time and dress is a matter of opinion.”
He added: “When I stood for election in Wexford the people didn’t ask me to wear a suit – and I would say they would be most disappointed if I did.”
Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming said: “I think people who are privileged enough to have been elected to the House should turn up in clothing that reflects the dignity of office.”
SUITED TO POWER? NEW DRESS CODE PROPOSALS
* All TDs, male and female, to wear business attire in the chamber
* In the case of male TDs, this means a suit or tailored jacket, shirt with a collar, and trousers
* TDs do not have to wear a tie
* Denim clothing will not be permitted for male or female TDs: no jeans
* Existing Code of Parliamentary Standards specifies that “Members should dress in a manner that reflects the dignity of the House”
* Code also states: “Members are expected to recognise the importance of their collective responsibilities and show respect for the institution of parliament and for each other by conducting themselves with deco