Politics watch: Fallout from failed no-confidence motion, European candidates line up

James Cox

Here, we have a look at the political issues that will dominate Dáil proceedings over the coming week.

Fallout from no-confidence motion

The Government won a Dáil confidence vote in Minister for Justice Helen McEntee by 83 votes to 63 during the week.

Many people pointed out that the Sinn Féin response in the Dáil was oddly muted. The motion was never likely to succeed, and the Government tried to portray it as an attempt to score political points following the stabbing incident in Dublin in which three children were hospitalised.

Riots broke out in the capital afterwards, and the fallout continues.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar accused Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald of engaging in “absolutely disgraceful behaviour” after she said it took “nearly two weeks” for Government to reach out to the school community affected by the stabbing.

Mr Varadkar said: “The leader of the opposition has quite disgracefully misled the Dáil. There was contact from the Government with the school within 24 hours of the events.

“Several ministers did so. She knows that, it’s deliberate misleading and it should be withdrawn. I call on her to be decent for once and withdraw it.”

Minister Josepha Madigan further described the Sinn Féin leader as “Mary Lou Trump” over the comments.

Ms McDonald said she would not withdraw the remark and that she had stated facts.

Exchanges in this vein are likely to continue this week, as debate over how to handle future incidents of disorder in Dublin continues.

Sinn Féin also called for Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to resign, but like Ms McEntee, he has insisted he will continue in his role.

European candidates line up

The local and European elections take place next year, and politicians from different parties have been throwing their hats in the ring for the European Parliament.

Fianna Fáil TD for Laois-Offaly Barry Cowen was one of the first to announce his intention to make a bid for a European seat.

MEP Billy Kelleher has announced he will run for re-election.

On Sunday, Aodhán Ó Riordáin revealed his intention to run in an interview with the Sunday Independent.

The Labour TD has told the Sunday Independent that he had a "visceral" reaction to the riots seen in Dublin city centre, which resulted in a "lightbulb" moment for him.

Mr Ó Riordáin had previously decided not to run for the European Parliament, but said the riots last month made him reconsider.

He will be facing Senator Annie Hoey and Fingal councillor Rob O'Donoghue next month for the nomination by the party.

Mr Ó Riordáin told the Sunday Independent: “You really get the sense that everything that had been creeping up has now exploded and I don’t think really we have enough leadership in Dublin to talk about Dublin on any level, on any platform at all.”

Abroad

In the UK, British prime minister Rishi Sunak is facing serious pressure from the right-wing of the Conservative Party over his Rwanda legislation.

In the US, the two likely candidates in the 2024 US presidential election, incumbent Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump, have been taking aim at each other.

Mr Trump tried to flip the narrative and portray Mr Biden as a threat to democracy.

Mr Trump said on Tuesday that he will not become a dictator if he becomes US president again, except "on day one".

"Thank God, only one day," Mr Biden quipped at a fundraiser in Los Angeles.