Will the real Eamon Ryan please wake up?
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan is at the centre of discussion once more as he appeared to fall asleep during a vote in Dáil Éireann on Thursday evening.
Ryan failed to answer when his name was called during the vote, despite being called upon twice. The Oireachtas TV camera appeared to show him sleeping in his Convention Centre seat.
The Dublin Bay South TD was eventually awoken to vote for a government amendment to a Soc Dems’ workers’ rights bill. The Social Democrats argue that the government’s amendment weakened the bill.
Soc Dem TD Gary Gannon hit out at Ryan and the government for their position.
“This was a missed opportunity by the Government to lay down a marker for how it intends to treat workers in Ireland during its term in office. The Government amendment to our motion only paid lip service to workers’ rights and made no reference to specific issues such as collective bargaining or the right to representation,” Gannon said.
So there is a vote on the @SocDems bill to give workers a living wage – @EamonRyan of @greenparty_ie has to be woken up to vote AGAINST it #Dail pic.twitter.com/VCMT3HIzPt
— Mick Caul (@caulmick) July 16, 2020
It is the second time in as many months that Ryan has made a major gaffe while in the Dáil. Last month, he apologised for referencing the n-word uncensored during a Dáil speech.
Ryan is currently in the midst of a leadership battle within his own party, where he is challenged by current Deputy Leader Catherine Martin.
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