"Bailout without dail vote violates constitution" - Rabbitte

hatrickpatrick

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1130/1224284430805.html

"constitution wrote:

Article 29, 5 (2): The State shall not be bound by any international
agreement involving a charge upon public funds unless
the terms of the agreement shall have been approved
by Dáil Éireann.

Could this bailout end up before the supreme court if the government attempts to ratify it unilaterally?

What, indeed, is the procedure for starting a supreme court action regarding the constitution?

P. Breathnach

I'm confident that this will go nowhere near any courtroom.

But let's consider the game (for that's what this is -- a game of political posturing): if a Dáil vote were required, would the main opposition parties actually want to vote down the package? Or, indeed, vote for it? I'm fairly sure that they would prefer what they have, which is an opportunity to make lots of noise without having to pin their colours to any mast.

20Cent

Could be a good thing. Extra leverage in renegotiating the crappy deal FF got. Also ad in some haircuts/defaults for bondholders.

SkepticOne

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

What, indeed, is the procedure for starting a supreme court action regarding the constitution?

That is an interesting question. It is worth posting on the legal discussion forum, imo.

Dirk Gently

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I'm confident that this will go nowhere near any courtroom.

But let's consider the game (for that's what this is -- a game of political posturing): if a Dáil vote were required, would the main opposition parties actually want to vote down the package? Or, indeed, vote for it? I'm fairly sure that they would prefer what they have, which is an opportunity to make lots of noise without having to pin their colours to any mast.

This is why I'd love it to happen tbh, just to see labour and FG forced into voting in favour of it, well FG anyway, Labour might have to make sure FG cover their backs if government back benchers put them in the position where opposition votes are needed to carry the vote. (FF'ers would love a chance to vote against it going into an election).

The same is true of the 4 year plan. FG posturing about how unfair it is to cut the min wage etc when clearly they would do the same themselves. It is so transparent that it even allowed Pat Carey to land the first political punch of his life by pulling up Richard Bruton about it after he went off on a much relieved populist whine recently.

Straight jacket politics suits our inept opposition down to the ground. It's actually impressive how they managed to pretend they wanted a GE long enough but not quiet seriously enough to let FF make all the decisions for them and put themselves into the straight jacket position.

Voltex

When it comes down to it we elected the current Goverment as the leaders of the country..they had a mandate and a majority...and regardless of past mistakes or foul ups I believe they acted in the best interest of the country.


Pat Rabbit can posture and rant all he likes but Ireland was in a classic WAWA & TINA secnario.

micro_dot

if unions can mobilise 100,000 people, and Labour, to which they are connected, believe that the current route will banjax the country, why spend months going through the courts.

Put it to a public foot vote, between now and however long it takes.

Every lunchtime, protest at the local authority. Complain in writing like an eighty-year old.

Why talk about the ruination of the country, when they have access to munition that the 1916 crowd never had? They had a mandate on Saturday and they've sent everybody home.

All it takes for a massive cockup is for good people to do nothing?

Sticky_Fingers

I never thought I'd say this but I for one support SF (*spits on floor) on this and hope they can apply to the courts to examine the constitutionality of the governments decision and further more win the case. It will tell us exactly where the politicians and parties stand with regards this massive decision and will not allow them to wriggle out of responsibility for the bailout. We need this before the election because the opposition can make all the noise they want but I would suspect they are more then willing to do a massive U-turn once in power "for the good of the country" (i.e themselves).

IMO Labour would be more then happy to see this bailout pass since it helps protect the unions and the CPA so they will hardly be leading the charge or manning the barricades. The best we can hope from these union sops is vague muttering and isn't-it-terribles while the country sinks.