How Louth TDs voted in Tuesday's no confidence vote

Louth TDs voted 3-2 against last night’s motion of confidence in Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

Nationally, 83 TDs voted to support the Minister while 63 voted no confidence.

Locally, Independent TD Peter Fitzpatrick and Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd expressed confidence in the Minister, while Labour TD Ged Nash and both Imelda Munster and Ruairi O’Murchu of Sinn Fein voted no confidence. 

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had accused Ms McEntee of failing “abysmally” in her responsibilities as the Dail debated the motion of confidence in her post following a stabbing attack and violent riot in Dublin city centre.

Ms McDonald told the Dail on Tuesday: “It is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice to ensure that our streets are safe, to ensure that An Garda Siochana have the resources that they need. And she has failed in these responsibilities abysmally with very dire consequences.”

She added: “The minister’s position is untenable and she must go.”

Speaking on the motion, Peter Fitzpatrick said that: 

“There seems to be an idea that the Minister for Justice should have a hands-on role in day-to-day policing. The Minister's job is to be very clear on policy, put laws in place and ensure police have the numbers and resources necessary. In September, I and my colleagues in the Regional Group published a motion expressing severe concerns about the ongoing challenges faced by An Garda Síochána. It would therefore be remiss of me to bypass the fact that there is a chronic shortage of resources, which directly impacts the force's ability to carry out its role. However, who the Minister for Justice is does not really deal with the issues we face.”

The Louth TD went on to say that claims that the riots and public disorder in the aftermath of this attack could have been foreseen, prevented or contained through earlier action were careless and plain wrong. 

He continued: “The fact is that the hooligan culture and the criminality issues we face run much deeper than law and order. Initial protests in the city centre on Thursday were organised by anti-immigration figures who were later joined by opportunistic rioters. We all heard the WhatsApp message.”

Deputy Fitzpatrick said that the Minister was “absolutely aware” that more resources were needed and that she was “doing her best.”

He concluded: “We need to stop playing political football. We need to put our heads together and action interventions that target the issues of poverty, criminality and the "them versus us" narrative growing throughout our country's culture, rather than seeing the current situation as an opportunity to take out an individual Minister.”

Also expressing confidence in Minister McEntee, Louth Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd said:

“This week, 51 years ago, Jean McConville, a widow with ten children, was abducted, murdered and secretly buried in my county. Nobody has been convicted of that crime, although some have been arrested and later released. 

“I live in County Louth which has suffered greatly, even recently. We all know about the appalling criminality and the drug intimidation that took place in Drogheda, in particular, the dismembering of a child. 

“The answer was a Government response, through the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in which €16 million in additional supports and over 30 additional gardaí were given to An Garda Síochána. 

“There has been huge investment in crèches and community facilities. That is the response that Ministers need to make. They need to tackle the underlying causes of crime, drug abuse and drug addiction and the appalling drug problems and problems arising from drugs that young people face.”