A senior Fianna Fail frontbencher has said sorry after a Dail colleague voted on his behalf six times in one day.
And as Clare TD Timmy Dooley apologised for the “error”, the Ceann Comhairle has requested a report on the matter for his “urgent attention”.
Meanwhile, last night Sinn Fein blamed Fianna Fail members for bringing the integrity of the Dail “into disrepute”.
Mr Dooley, a communications spokesman, confirmed to the Irish Sunday Mirror he was outside the chamber on Thursday when his colleague, Limerick TD Niall Collins, voted for him six times.
Mr Dooley said it was Mr Collin’s understanding that he was at the back of the chamber during voting.
TDs were voting that afternoon on amendments to a Sinn Fein motion on a living wage and a Green Party motion on forestry.
Dail members are each assigned a specific seat so their electronic voting can be recorded.
Mr Dooley’s seat was empty over the course of eight votes – but his vote was still recorded six times, the Irish Independent reported.
There were wide margins on all the votes, and so the error did not swing the outcome.
Mr Dooley said yesterday: “I was in the Dail on Thursday and I was in the chamber after the voting bell sounded. I went to the chamber when the voting bell sounded. Now, I had to leave the chamber to take a call. And I hadn’t realised what had happened. I was told about it yesterday.”
Mr Dooley added Mr Collins had then voted on his behalf, on the understanding he was still in the chamber.
He said: “I have spoken to the Ceann Comhairle to explain that, and to apologise for the misunderstanding.
“I wasn’t in the chamber, no. That’s where the issue arises.
“Had I been up the back or somewhere else in the chamber, there wouldn’t have been an issue, but I wasn’t. This isn’t by way of excuse or anything, but the truth is they weren’t tight votes. The error hasn’t changed or would have changed anything.”
Ceann Comhairle Sean O’Fearghail last night responded by announcing he has asked for an “urgent” report.
In a statement, he said: “The integrity of the voting system in Dail Eireann is of the utmost importance.
“As Ceann Comhairle, I have a duty to ensure the public can have total confidence in Dail proceedings.
“I have asked the clerk of the Dail to prepare a report on the conduct of the votes for my urgent attention.”
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein TD Maurice
Quinlivan called for last Thursday’s votes to be re-taken due to the “disgraceful behaviour of Fianna Fail TDs who brought the integrity of the votes and the Dail into disrepute”.
