UPSET OVER ‘DESERTED’ DÁIL CHAMBER

AS THE Taoiseach apologised on behalf of the State to the women and families affected by the misdiagnosis scandal, two of the women at the centre of the story, Vicky Phelan and

Lorraine Walsh, were observing from the public gallery.

Sadly they left in need of another apology, with one TD saying they are right to feel angry at the behaviour of some parliamentarians, after Lorraine Walsh shared a picture of the ‘deserted view from the gallery of Dáil Éireann’ towards the end of the debate.

As Mr Varadkar rose to his feet to deliver his speech the chamber was relatively full.

While it is hard to be conclusive from the Dáil cameras there were in the region of 40 empty seats – or 25% of the 158 seats in the Dáil.

Some of the absentees gave explanations for their absence, such as Independent TD for Galway-Roscommon Michael Fitzmaurice who offered up a sick note when contacted by the MoS about his failure to attend, saying he was receiving treatment on his back which has been causing him ongoing difficulties.

Others such as Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe and Independent TD Mattie McGrath were attending the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly, while Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone said she was held up in a meeting, before taking her seat later in the debate, while Transport Minister Shane Ross was ‘on official government businesses’.

However, Junior Minister for European Affairs Helen McEntee, amongst others, did not reply to the MoS when asked why they were not in the chamber.

A host of TDs, including Kerry’s Michael Healy-Rae, were present at the start of the Taoiseach’s contribution, but left the chamber soon after proceedings kicked off.

Others such as Ruth Coppinger opted to arrive late, with the Dublin West TD arriving in the chamber shortly before she was due to contribute to the debate.

Mr Healy Rae likened himself to ‘a hen trying to lay an egg’ as he was hovering above his seat, torn between staying in the chamber and attending a prearranged meeting in his office.

As the debate came to an end a rough count appears to show almost 80 empty seats – nearly half the Dáil seats.

Mr Healy-Rae said: ‘Could I understand them being upset? Of course I could, 100%.’