Justice Minister Wants Full Review Of Dail Voting Procedures

It comes amid a scandal surrounding Deputies Niall Collins and Timmy Dooley.

The Justice Minister is suggesting a full review of Dáíl voting practices may need to be conducted.

It's after Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins voted six times on behalf of fellow TD Timmy Dooley, who wasn't in the chamber, last Thursday.

Party leader Micheál Martin has asked the deputies to stand down temporarily from the frontbench following the controversy.

Another Fianna Fáil TD, Lisa Chambers, says she accidentally recorded a vote on behalf of her deputy leader Dara Calleary last week.

Minister Charlie Flanagan, who has admitted voting on a "couple of occasions" on behalf of colleagues who were in the chamber, says a review of voting could be needed: 

He also says there are circumstances where colleagues vote for one another - but that this is different to the Timmy Dooley controversy:

In a survey of TDs this afternoon 44% admitted to voting on behalf of someone else in the Dáil chamber.

While 4 in 10 said they had asked someone to vote on their behalf. 

57 of the current 154 TDs replied with many admitting they had asked someone to cast their vote when away from their seats. 

TDs often leave the seat to try and talk to a Minister or other colleagues during the block voting in the Dáil on Thursdays. 

However every TD surveyed insisted they had never voted on behalf of a member who wasn't inside the chamber at the time. 

A number of Fianna Fáil TDs admitted they can't understand the logic behind it, and feel it's damaged the party.

Some have suggested keycards or fingerprint scanners - with one TD saying the Dáil should have an 'arse recognition system' to makes sure TDs are actually in their seats

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