Minimalist proposals for Northern 'representation' in Dáil

Sinn Féin has been campaigning for a long time "for Dáil representation for people in the Six Counties".  So without actually being elected to what used to be derisively dismissed as the "Free State parliament", Sinn Féin's top leaders would have speaking rights in the Dáil and could behave as if it were truly an all-Ireland body, and thus another step on the road to "making partition history".  This has always struck me as constitutionally highly dubious.  Such a situation would permit parliamentary representation to people elected to the parliament of another sovereign state, under the laws and regulations of that state, to avail of facilities paid for by taxpaying citizens who would have no power to vote them out because they didn't elect them in the first place. 

Bertie Ahern's proposals made earlier today will not allow speaking rights and privileges in the Dáil and in fact are the bare minimum the Taoiseach could deliver on the promise he obviously made to Sinn Féin.  Ahern's proposal is that the 18 MPs representing constituencies in Northern Ireland should be invited to participate in the work of the Dáil, through what is called a Committee of the whole House. 

This is far short of the Sinn Féin position who nevertheless politely welcomed the proposals and acknowledged that while it did not involve full representation "it is clearly a step forward" and that "full representation and full participation remains Sinn Féin's goals".  Ahern stressed that his proposal was  to invite Northern MPs to make representations to the Committee and the order of business on that Committee would be for a matter for the Dáil itself and a matter for agreement among the party leaders

In his letter,  Ahern said he wanted to explore how to implement the proposal of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution and that it would be valuable from time to time to have the input of Northern Ireland MPs in Dáil deliberations.  Allowing Northern MPs to attend twice yearly meetings to give them an opportunity 'have an input' is a very minimalist position to adopt.  Anyone can be invited to 'have an input' - even bloggers!  But it won't give us representative rights or any other parliamentary privileges for the very good reason that we were never elected.  Clever old Bertie...

Update - It seems that even these modest proposals will be rejected by the other parties in the Dáil.  They don't like the idea of Adams and McGuinness addressing the Dáil chamber, even though it would technically be a Committee of the whole House rather than a plenary session of the Dáil itself.  A Labour spokesman is quoted as saying "this is all about the optics of having Gerry and the boys debating in the Dáil on television."

Comments

[simon]

Good post and good points