Green Party TDs Costello and Hourigan to seek parliamentary party re-admittance

Green TDs Neasa Hourigan and Patrick Costello have said they will seek to rejoin the party’s parliamentary grouping when their suspensions for voting against the Government end shortly.

The Dublin-based TDs lost the whip in May and were suspended from the parliamentary party for six months after they sided with the Opposition in a Dáil vote on the proposed relocation of the National Maternity Hospital.

Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Hourigan said it was “certainly” her plan to reapply to re-enter the parliamentary party.

“There are some clarifications we need over the process. I believe the time is up on Friday, but yes, we plan to apply to get back in,” she said.

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Mr Costello added: “I don’t see why I would want to leave the only party that’s really pushing aggressively on climate change and effectively on climate change. So yes, we’ll be back.”

He also said he does not think legislative amendments would be “straightforward” in relation to ratifying the EU-Canada trade deal, Ceta [Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement]. The Supreme Court last week ruled that the Government cannot ratify the agreement unless laws are changed.

Supreme Court ruling creates a headache for Government

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Mr Costello had challenged the issue in the courts, arguing that the deal should be put to a referendum because its ratification may affect the ability to introduce regulation, particularly in relation to the environment.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the Government remained committed to ratifying the deal in full and its initial assessment was that it could do so via legislation without the need for a referendum.

Mr Costello said this would be “a really difficult thing to do” and there would be “many legal hurdles and complexities” to unravel. “First of all, I don’t think the legislative amendments are very straightforward. I think it’s going to be a huge, complex problem and I don’t think it’s going to be quick at all,” said the Dublin South-Central TD.

“I think we should really be using this time to think through those changes and any consequences that may come from them. Ultimately, I think we should be using this time to ask do we really want to be part of investor courts. I don’t think we do … and I will continue to work to make sure we’re not.”

Private Members’ Bill

The TDs were speaking as Ms Hourigan launched a Private Members’ Bill on changes to funding of the greyhound industry.

The Horse and Greyhound Racing Amendment Bill 2022 seeks to “put better financial controls” on how money is disbursed.

There is an 80:20 split at present of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund between Horse Racing Ireland and Rásaíocht Con Éireann.

While the Minister for Agriculture has discretion to vary the split, with Oireachtas approval, the full fund is disbursed every year in full to the two bodies.

Under Ms Hourigan’s Bill, the 80:20 split would be removed and there would be a requirement on the Minister to set a split based on a business plan put forward by the industry. The legislation would also allow for some of the funds not to be disbursed.