Fianna Fáil leader does not intend to bring back deputies involved in vote-gate controversy
Micheál Martin has said he has no intention of reinstating two TDs who were removed from the Fianna Fáil front bench in the wake of the vote-gate controversy.
Timmy Dooley and Niall Collins stepped down from their front bench positions in October after footage of the Dáil chamber showed Mr Dooley appearing to motion his colleague Mr Collins toward his vote button ahead of his absence during votes.
Meanwhile, Mr Martin accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of trying to deflect from the controversy surrounding former Fine Gael TD Dara Murphy after another voting issue emerged in relation to Lisa Chambers.
New Dáil footage has emerged showing Ms Chambers casting votes on behalf of Mr Dooley last January.
Mr Dooley said he was in the chamber at the time the Dáil records show he was present in Leinster House.
Speaking on Newstalk's On the Record show, Mr Martin said he hadn't spoken to the two TDs but said it was "no different to what has happened across the board," he said.
"We know that there were lax practices in terms of Deputies from all parties from the Taoiseach down who would have voted for other colleagues, while they were in the Chamber.
In other words they would have pressed a button for colleagues who were in the chamber, that seems to be the situation here.
Separately, the Dáil's ethics committee is still looking into another voting incident where Mr Collins voted six times on behalf of party colleague Mr Dooley who was not present in the Chamber at the time.
Asked when he intends to reappoint Mr Dooley and Mr Collins, the party leader said: "I took immediate action when that became known, I took action in terms of removing both from the front bench.
"Jack Chambers is now dealing with the communications and the climate change agenda along with his defense responsibilities and Sean Haughey is dealing with foreign affairs.
"That's the position as of now, and that remains the position. I did say at the time I was making that decision pending the outcome of the members interest committee because I didn't want to prejudice it, or prejudice the outcome of it. But the position is as it was and will continue."
