Independent Alliance member John Halligan has again defied Government norms, by submitting written parliamentary questions.
It is highly unusual for a Minister to submit formal questions to another ministerial colleague about their Department. They would be expected to talk directly to a ministerial colleague or their officials to get the information sought, as they have access to them as a member of Government.
Mr Halligan, Minister of State for Training and Skills, submitted two questions to Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald about refugees and the refugee resettlement programme.
The move is seen as a further indication of the Waterford TD’s independent or semi-detached stance from Government, or as one observer put it a “rebel from within”.
Former ceann comhairle Seán Barrett said he had come across a single instance where a minister of state had submitted a question “but it is very, very unusual”.
Mr Barrett, TD for Dún Laoghaire said: “I don’t think anybody anticipated that a Minister would submit questions so you can’t debar them because they are entitled to do so”.
Mr Halligan was involved in recent controversy over the provision of cardiac services at University Hospital Waterford when he threatened to resign unless services were upgraded.
Abortion
There was further controversy when he and Independent Alliance colleagues, Minister for Transport Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, Seán Canney and Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran voted against the Government in a Dáil motion allowing for abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.
The alliance members look set to call for a free vote again when a motion calling for a referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution is tabled next week.
Parliamentary questions are submitted on public affairs issues or administration matters linked to a Government Minister.
Mr Halligan asked in one question “the number of refugees Ireland is planning to take in considering in 2015 it was only a very small number”.
Minister of State for Justice David Stanton, who has responsibility for immigration and integration, replied and said 500 people displaced by the Syrian conflict had arrived in Ireland and a further seven would arrive in November and 260 refugees from Lebanon were expected next year. Ireland has agreed to accept 4,000 refugees under its resettlement programme.
The second query related to refugee reception centres and why a particular hotel was the only reception centre “for the very few Syrian refugees who have come to Waterford city”.
Mr Stanton said the Clonea Strand Hotel in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, was one of two refugee reception centres in the State. The second centre is in Monasterevin, Co Kildare.
