FF TDs have more questions to answer – Brophy

Fianna Fáil, Timmy Dooley and Niall Collins have more questions to answer following several media reports today on what occurred on the Fianna Fáil benches during Dáil voting last Thursday, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Colm Brophy said Timmy Dooley and Niall Collins account of how their votes were cast to date “is complete and utter rubbish.”

“Several aspects of this extremely worrying controversy must be immediately explained by the two Fianna Fáil front bench members and addressed by their party leader.

“Niall Collins’ excuse that he voted for Timmy Dooley as he believed Deputy Dooley was in the chamber & was not instructed to do so is simply not credible.

“Look at the video. Timmy Dooley talks briefly to Niall Collins, points at his seat and walks out of the chamber. He did not go to the back of the lobby for a phone call. Timmy Dooley told Clare FM he left the chamber to take a phone call. He does not have a phone in his hand when leaving,” Deputy Brophy said.

“Questions that need immediate answers include:

1. What did Timmy Dooley say to Niall Collins when he approached him in the chamber and pointed at his seat?
2. Can Willie O’Dea shed any light on this? He was talking to Niall Collins when Timmy Dooley approached them.
3. Why did Niall Collins take Barry Cowen’s assigned seat (beside Timmy Dooley’s) and not his own assigned seat if he was not instructed to vote for Timmy Dooley? This is very strange.
4. How did Niall Collins check up with Timmy Dooley he had exited chamber as reported in the Irish Times? Niall is sitting in his seat and doesn’t make a phone call.
5. After voting for Timmy Dooley in six votes for more than 35 minutes, why did Niall Collins not vote for TD on the last two votes?
6. Niall Collins told the Irish Independent on Friday night he had “no idea” if he voted for Timmy Dooley. Yet he admits this on Saturday – a day later. It is simply not credible or believable. Niall Collins knowingly voted for Timmy Dooley, tried to fudge it when asked by the Independent on Friday and subsequently admitted it on Saturday. Can he explain this?
7. How many other occasions and when have Niall Collins and Timmy Dooley voted for each other?

Deputy Brophy added: “Our Dáil votes are sacrosanct and gifted to us by the Irish people. There can be no suggestion left lingering here that fraudulent voting has occurred at any time. This needs to be cleared up by Fianna Fáil immediately.”