No disciplinary action advised for TD Niall Collins following Dáil voting inquiry

NO DISCIPLINARY action against TD Niall Collins or his party colleague Timmy Dooley has been recommended, it was announced this Thursday morning.

Following an inquiry into Dáil voting, it was found that Fianna Fáil frontbench TD Niall Collins believed that his colleague would return to the chamber at the time of voting last Thursday, 17 October.

Deputy Dooley confirmed Deputy Collins’ statement, adding that he left the chamber to take a phone call and told Deputy Collins he would see him during the vote, and that the video footage that sparked the controversy showed this conversation.

Making reference to the footage, the report also stated that when Deputy Collins was asked what he believed Deputy Dooley meant by pointing, he said that he had no idea, that he was looking at Deputy’s Dooley’s face and not his hands.

He further stated that he did not see Deputy Dooley leave the Chamber.

"I left and couldn't come back. I left everyone in a difficult position," Deputy Dooley said

Deputy Dooley denied asking Deputy Collins to vote for him, adding that he was “clear on that fact.”

“He assumed I was in the House,” Deputy Dooley said of Deputy Collins, “I've done it in the past.”

The footage shows Deputy Collins sitting in seat A15, which is assigned for Deputy Cowen, within minutes of Dooley leaving the chamber. 

When asked why he sat in Deputy Cowen’s seat, Deputy Collins that there was no particular reason and, when asked if he knew his own seat, he said ‘of course’, according to the report. 

The detailed report gives exact times that votes were cast from the seats of Collins, Cowen and Dooley, which occurred in said order within ten seconds. 

The footage does not show members casting the vote, and instead shows the electronic voting display.

When the camera reverts to the chamber after the vote, seat A14 (Deputy Dooley’s assigned seat) is
vacant, and Collins and Cowen are in each other's seats instead of their own. 

"In summary, the evidence is that Deputy Collins voted 6 times on behalf of Deputy Dooley, whilst also casting a vote in the seat he was occupying (seat A15, Deputy Cowen’s assigned seat). For the final two votes, he voted in seat A15 only," said the report. 

When Deputy Collins was asked whether he had considered changing seats with Deputy Cowen, he stated: no, as they had voted this way before, according to the report. 

Deputy Collins was also asked why he took it on himself to vote on behalf of Deputy Dooley and he responded that he assumed that Deputy Dooley was in the Dáil Chamber.

The report states that Deputy Collins was further asked if he was aware of the requirement to be in the Dáil Chamber to cast a vote.

He replied: “Of course, I wouldn’t cast a vote knowing or believing someone to be outside the Chamber. This reflects on me
badly.”

The Dáil will debate the report this afternoon, and TDs who are the subject of the report will be given the opportunity to make a statement.