Carol Nolan backs Count Corlea amid criticism of House atmosphere
Carol Nolan spoke in support of Count Corlea, Verona Murphy, and announced she will vote in her favour. She defended Count Corlea's ability to discharge the duties of the constitutional office and condemned what she described as intimidation and vicious personal attacks in the chamber.
Carol Nolan said she will be voting in support of Count Corlea, Verona Murphy, and framed her decision as one female politician speaking to another. She stated her belief that Count Corlea is capable of carrying out her duties in a fair and impartial manner.
Nolan criticised the atmosphere in this House, saying intimidation, a toxic environment and vicious personal attacks have made it impossible for members to do their jobs. She described attempts to undermine the Count as a coercive form of democratic vandalism and called such behaviour unworthy of the House and its traditions.
She warned that recent events amount to "an advertisement for women to stay away from Irish political life," arguing that the conduct displayed, including what she called shocking behaviour by a senior figure, sets a poor example for political leadership.
Nolan characterised the situation as disgraceful and shameful but said she would cast her vote with a "settled and calm conscience". She framed her stance as refusing to sit on the fence while personal attacks and degrading tactics are used for political optics.
Vote and position
Carol Nolan said she will be voting in support of Count Corlea, Verona Murphy, and framed her decision as one female politician speaking to another. She stated her belief that Count Corlea is capable of carrying out her duties in a fair and impartial manner.
Condemnation of chamber behaviour
Nolan criticised the atmosphere in this House, saying intimidation, a toxic environment and vicious personal attacks have made it impossible for members to do their jobs. She described attempts to undermine the Count as a coercive form of democratic vandalism and called such behaviour unworthy of the House and its traditions.
Concerns for women in politics
She warned that recent events amount to "an advertisement for women to stay away from Irish political life," arguing that the conduct displayed, including what she called shocking behaviour by a senior figure, sets a poor example for political leadership.
Conscience and closing remarks
Nolan characterised the situation as disgraceful and shameful but said she would cast her vote with a "settled and calm conscience". She framed her stance as refusing to sit on the fence while personal attacks and degrading tactics are used for political optics.
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Transcript
I will be voting in support of the Count Corlea, Verona Murphy, from one female politician to another female, and as one who has had more than her fair share of spite and political attacks to contend with, particularly from one party in here. I will not sit on the fence, as others have done, while attempts are made to engage in what amounts to a coercive form of democratic vandalism. To the constitutional offices of this state, the Count Corlea was elected here by the majority of this House, whether ye like it or not, and the Count Corlea can only retain her position to a democratically endorsed ballot, whether ye like it or not. All of us here will not agree on everything, and that is politics and that is democracy. That is the nature of politics. But we are all elected to do our jobs, and we have been unable to do our jobs in this chamber, where it has been just made impossible, as was pointed out here, because of the atmosphere, the intimidation and the toxic environment that has been created. We should all agree that vicious personal attacks, attempts to undermine and even degrade for the purposes of pathetic political optics, are unworthy of this House and the tradition on which it was built. I believe that Count Corlea is capable of discharging her duties in a fair and impartial manner. I think what has happened here over the last few weeks has been nothing short of an advertisement for women to stay away from Irish political life. It was your own dear leader, the feminist herself, who stood up and engaged in shocking behaviour in this House. Shocking behaviour. And what an example to lead by. What would that be like in government? What would the country be like? Disgrace. It is shameful. I will make my vote here today, with a settled and calm conscience that this is the right thing to do. Go ahead.