Greens: Changes to Committee rules ‘designed to exclude smaller parties’

The Green Party today criticised the Dáil vote to exclude smaller parties from the Special Joint Committee on the 8th Amendment. The Dáil voted today to end the practice of substitution, which will prevent Solidarity, the Green Party and independent TDs and Senators from contributing to the committee.

Speaking following the Dáil vote, Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan TD said: “It is very disappointing that the Dáil voted to change the rules of committees and to disallow substitution. The objective of this change was to exclude smaller parties and groups.

“The debate on the issue of the 8th Amendment should be inclusive, not exclusive. We are committed to holding a referendum to repeal the 8th, and we will actively follow the work of the committee, and will seek to make both written and oral submissions to make sure our contribution is heard.”