CLARE TD, Michael McNamara (IND) has confirmed he will vote against the Government in Tuesday’s no confidence motion tabled by Sinn Féin.
Sinn Féin tabled the motion of no confidence in the Government after it lost its majority last week when former Minister for Education, Joe McHugh (FG) voted against the defective concrete blocks legislation.
Members of the Clare Pyrite Action Group have criticised Cathal Crowe TD (FF) and Joe Carey TD (FG) for not resigning their party whip over the vote while they were left disappointed when Violet Anne Wynne TD (SF) was not present for the vote, Deputy McNamara opposed the legislation.
On Tuesday, Sinn Féin’s motion will go before the Dáil ahead of its summer recess which begins on Thursday. McHugh, former Fianna Fáil TD, Marc McSharry (IND) and Tipperary TD, Michael Lowry (IND) have confirmed they will be supporting the Government.
Explaining the reasoning for his stance, Deputy McNamara said his was vote was “because the Government is making no attempt to control the things it can control”. The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin (FF) contacted the Scariff native since the motion was tabled.
McNamara felt the Government was not affording sufficient time for debate and accused it of making a mess of legislation and “doing things in a careless way”. He stated, “Laws are boomeranging out of the Oireachtas and straight into the courts, where they are found faulty, and boomeranging back into the Dáil. And still the Government doesn’t learn. It is hastily preparing legislation and then according half an hour to debating it, so that it is not properly produced and examined.
Deputy Wynne confirmed on Monday evening that she remains on maternity leave and is still in a pairing arrangement until after the summer recess.
Criticism of the move from Sinn Féin was voiced by Government parties with both Deputy Carey and Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris (FG) calling it “a stunt”. The Taoiseach expressed his belief that the Government will defeat the Sinn Féin no-confidence motion, but insisted no side deals have been done to achieve it. He blasted Sinn Féin for wanting an emergency budget last week and a general election this week. He said the budget, now scheduled for September, would be jeopardised were the country plunged into a snap general election.
