[Top – Maurice Cummins, centre – Marc MacSharry, bottom – Paddy Burke]
The Seanad was suspended for half an hour this morning after a row broke out following claims of a conflict of interest made by Fine Gael Senator Maurice Cummins against Fianna Fáil Senator Marc MacSharry’s membership of the banking inquiry.
Cathaoirleach Paddy Burke was forced to rise to his feet (woo!) as Senator MacSharry said:
“In my years in the Senate, it is an outrage, an absolute outrage”
and later addressing the Cathaoirleach:
“What’s outrageous is what you’ve allowed the chair to do to a member of the House. It’s a disgrace. But you’re bringing this, you’ve the chair and this House into disrepute to allow this disgraceful impugning of the character of a member”
Later, Senator Paul Bradford tried to calm matters by saying:
“We are all grown adults and surely if we can adjourn for one twenty minutes or half an hour it should be possible to resolve this difficulty”
We’re not entirely sure about that assertion Senator Bradford in light of the evidence presented.
Update: Seanad leader withdraws conflict of interest claims (RTÉ News)