A DÁIL disciplinary committee inquiring into the use of expletives by Green Party TD Paul Gogarty has recommended that no further measures be taken against him.
In a report lodged to the Oireachtas last week, the Dáil Sub-Committee on Procedure and Privileges agreed that Mr Gogarty’s behaviour amounted to “contempt of an aggravated nature”, when he rounded on Labour Party TD Emmet Stagg and said: “Fuck you Deputy Stagg, Fuck you.”
Mr Gogarty had already been chastised by the full Committee on Procedure and Privileges (CPP) last November for his outburst. A deputy in the Dublin Mid-West constituency, Mr Gogarty apologised for the comments. In a letter to the deputy, the CPP said then it was “unreservedly condemning his totally unacceptable behaviour in the Dáil”. It sent copies of the letter to all 166 TDs.
A sub-committee of the CPP, chaired by former ceann comhairle Rory O’Hanlon, was then asked to examine what further sanction, if any, should be imposed arising from the offensive remarks made by Mr Gogarty.
In its report, the sub-committee referred to the outcome of a case in 1947 that had broad similarities. Then, two TDs became involved in a scuffle after one, Deputy Coburn, challenged the other, Deputy Kennedy: “If you object to me, you can come outside and so do. I will oblige you now. Come outside and object to me now – come on.” In that case, the CPP accepted that both TDs had apologised fully and that the incident took place at a time when emotions were running high. It recommended that the matter be closed. The sub-committee considered this case was analogous to that of Deputy Gogarty.
The report did point out, however: “The sub-committee deprecates the words used . . . as ill-judged, unwarranted, and to have reflected extremely badly on the member in question.” The Ceann Comhairle was not in the chamber at the time of the incident and because of Mr Gogarty’s immediate apology had no part in any of the disciplinary proceedings. That fell into the remit of the CPP.
Its sub-committee also looked into the possibility of empowering the Ceann Comhairle with the right to deal with an issue such as Mr Gogarty’s outburst retrospectively.
While its report did not opt for retrospective powers, the subcommittee recommended that the Ceann Comhairle be given the absolute discretion as regards the time for the taking of a motion for suspension of a member.
Following his outburst, Mr Gogarty made a personal statement to the house.
He said the expletives used by him were not on the list of prohibited words or comments, though more archaic terms like guttersnipe and blackguard were.
He accepted, however, that he had been “thin-skinned” when Deputy Stagg had questioned his sincerity and should not have resorted to using such language.
