Fianna Fáil’s Director of Elections for the Seanad Campaign Niall Collins TD has criticised the situation in Dáil Éireann this evening, where opposition submissions for a Topical Issues debate on political reform were rejected, while the Taoiseach arrived to listen to a list of Fine Gael backbenchers praise him for his great work and commiserate on the Seanad referendum result.

Deputy Collins commented, “The effort of Fine Gael tonight to orchestrate a discussion about how great they are doing on the issue of political reform in Dáil Éireann was farcical. The self-congratulatory tone was an affront to those who rejected the Taoiseach’s flawed Seanad plan, while the decision to attempt to manipulate the business of parliament in this way shows that they have learned little from the events of the last week and have entirely missed the point of the country’s decision on Friday.

“Citizens made it clear that they reject the false claims and stage managed spin of Fine Gael on this issue. Watching and listening to this procession of Fine Gael deputies thank and congratulate the Taoiseach beggared belief and is a worrying signal of how seriously they mean to treat the issue of political reform in the weeks and months ahead.”