Confusion in the Dáil Over Sinn Féin Amendment Vote
An unusual incident occurred in the Dáil Éireann (Irish parliament) on Wednesday when Sinn Féin appeared to vote against their own amendment to a government amendment during a debate on the cost of living.
At the conclusion of the debate, Ceann Comhairle (speaker) Verona Murphy posed the question in Irish, asking if the members agreed to the amendment. The Sinn Féin TDs (Teachtaí Dála, members of parliament) did not indicate agreement.
Aontú leader Peader Tóibín then interjected, pointing out the discrepancy by saying,
"they're backwards there", highlighting that Sinn Féin had not agreed with their own amendment.
Donegal TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn responded by stating that he has
"no fluent Irish", prompting Murphy to repeat the question in English.
"We'll do it in English as they say,"Murphy remarked.
The exchange elicited laughter in the chamber. When asked again in English, the Sinn Féin TDs agreed to the amendment. Murphy then postponed the vote to the weekly division scheduled for the following week.
The debate centered on Tóibín's motion concerning the cost of living, which had attracted amendments from both the government and Sinn Féin.
The Sinn Féin amendment was introduced in the Dáil by deputy leader Pearse Doherty, a fluent Irish speaker from the County Donegal Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region), who presented it first in Irish and then in English. However, Doherty was not present in the chamber at the time of the vote.
Sinn Féin has been contacted for comment regarding the incident.
Peader Tóibín Comments on the Incident
Aontú leader Peader Tóibín told NI that he
"stepped in to save their blushes"after noticing the voting error.
He elaborated on the significance of the Irish language for Irish republicans, stating,
"For Irish republicans, the Irish language is at the core of our identity and heritage. It is an expression of patriotism.
For Irish republican party Sinn Féin, it's assumed to be in their political DNA."
Tóibín added that he was initially confused by the vote, saying,
"It was beyond belief it could be because none of the Sinn Féin TDs present had enough Irish to understand what was going on."
Irish Language Usage in the Dáil
This is not the first occasion where the use of the Irish language in the Dáil has attracted attention.
In February 2025, a dispute arose between the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin and the leader of the opposition, Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin, over accusations of "telling lies" during a debate on the housing crisis in the Republic of Ireland.
In response to sharp criticism from McDonald, Taoiseach Martin spoke in Irish, stating that McDonald was
"ag insint bréaga", which translates to "is telling lies" in English.
Dáil Standing Orders prohibit any member from accusing another TD of being
"a liar, lying or telling a lie."
Martin maintained that he never directly called McDonald a liar.
It was suggested during the controversy that Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy may not have fully understood or heard the Taoiseach's Irish-language remark when he addressed the Sinn Féin leader.
Martin later refused to apologise, stating,
"I cannot withdraw a remark I did not make."
The Irish language is officially recognised as the first official language of the country.
Irish PM asked to review comment about Sinn Féin leader 'telling lies'
