Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has said that some Irish politicians were clearly "intoxicated" when they voted on the new abortion legislation in an all night session.
It has emerged that TDs and senators ran up a tab of nearly €1,500 on the night of the debates, which has been deemed as "Lapgate" after Fine Gael TD Tom Barry was filmed pulling party colleague Aine Collins onto his lap in the Dail chamber.
According to the Irish Mirror, the bar was open until 5:30 p.m. and 313 alcoholic drinks were served in the early hours of July 12.
“I have to say I was quite shocked when I say that figure, and I’m quite sure that people will be appalled," said Sinn Fein President.
“It’s almost as if you’re in a time-capsule - the Dail 20 or 30 years ago, it reflects Irish society 20 or 30 years ago when there were slightly different cultural mores.”
He also criticized the Dail bar's opening hours.
It’s just a huge argument for the proposition that Sinn Fein had put forward is that the Dail Bar should be regulated the same as every other licensed premises across this State," he said.
“When you come down to the fact that this is the legislature - and I made the charge at the time that there were people there who were intoxicated - it’s clear that they were intoxicated.”
Sinn Fein vice-president Mary Lou McDonald said she was shocked that several members of the Oireachtas were drunk on the job and added that politicians should remain sober at work just as is expected from the rest of the working public.
“I don’t care what area you work in or what your job is, you come to work sober and while you’re at your desk and at work, you remain sober," she said.
“That’s the standard for people of every other walk of life and it’s absolutely no different for us as politicians.”
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