Members of the Dáil’s Technical Group claim that the national broadcaster is unfairly excluding them from a Prime Time panel. RTÉ argues that independents are not a political party and represent themselves.
The leader of the Dáil was speaking after a week in which he surprised many, including the government, by allowing members of the Reform Alliance and former Labour parliamentary party TDs speaking time during Dáil debates.
Seamus Healy and Stephen Donnelly will represent the Technical Group at Leaders’ Question in the next Dáil term but Luke Ming Flanagan and Mick Wallace are not happy about this.
They can’t establish a second Technical Group and they won’t be allowed join the existing one. Are Lucinda Creighton et al becoming a modern day Blanche DuBois?
Paul Bradford, the temporary spokesperson for the group of eight Fine Gael TDs and Senators, says that government should be “grown up” and allow the rebels speaking rights in the Dáil and Seanad.
The government chief whip has told TheJournal.ie that the coalition has no plans to amend Dáil standing orders as some Fine Gael TDs and senators outside of the Fine Gael parliamentary party are seeking to do.
Attempts are being made to form a new Technical Group in the Dáil but reports of a new political party have been dismissed by several TDs who were said to be involved in talks.
The independent TD declined to comment when asked if he was interested in joining the party which itself has denied it has approached the former Progressive Democrat deputy.
Joan Collins was one of four TDs, including Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, who highlighted the issue of penalty points being quashed. She said revelations about ‘Ming’ will impact on the reputation of independent deputies.
Reports suggest the property tax will cost homeowners between €200 and €400 a year – but Eamon Gilmore would not discuss the figures in the Dáil this morning.
Independent TD John Halligan is now supporting efforts to deny Wallace any speaking time in the Dáil following his latest remarks about former colleagues in the Technical Group.
GARDAÍ ARE SET to be granted new powers to use facial-recognition technology that could lead to the rapid identification of criminals.
The technology enables police forces to carry out automated searches of video footage for suspects in criminal investigations.
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Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is expected to announce the move at the Garda Representative Association annual conference today.
The minister will say the introduction of facial-recognition technology will greatly assist murder, child exploitation and missing persons investigations.
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) said it is “strongly opposed” to the technology being used by law enforcement, saying An Garda Síochána has a “poor record on data protection”.
“FRT [facial-recognition technology] and other biometric surveillance tools enable mass surveillance and discriminatory targeted surveillance
“They have the capacity to identify and track people everywhere they go, undermining the right to privacy and data protection, the right to free assembly and association, and the right to equality and non-discrimination,” the ICCL said.
So, today we’re asking: How do you feel about gardaí using facial recognition technology to identify suspects?
Poll Results:
I fully support it (5705)
I have some concerns, but am broadly in favour (3409)
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