Paul Murphy demands answers over dock policing and Gaza statements
Paul Murphy called for statements and questions with the Minister for Justice about the use of pepper spray and batons against peaceful protesters at the docks and said he had facilitated statements on Gaza but will not accept proposed standing orders 35-3. He reported raising the matter with the business committee and defended the order of business for the week.
Paul Murphy described scenes of "guarded brutality" at the docks, citing the indiscriminate use of pepper spray and batons against peaceful protesters who were demonstrating in solidarity with Palestine. He urged formal statements and a question-and-answer session with the Minister for Justice on the policing incidents.
He said he had written to the business committee and raised the issue there, and thanked deputies for their proposals following a lengthy meeting the previous Thursday. He noted ongoing contact with the Minister for Justice about the matter.
Paul Murphy outlined that there were three pieces of important legislation scheduled for the week and that the committee had considered where to find more time, mentioning fisheries as an example. He referenced an amendment put forward by Deputy MacDonald and other amendments relating to Gaza.
He expressed surprise that Gaza had not been raised during leaders' questions despite having facilitated statements on Gaza on three occasions when requested. He said he was not in a position to accept any of the standing orders 35-3 that had been proposed to on Corolla and confirmed that the order of business stands for the week.
Policing at the docks
Paul Murphy described scenes of "guarded brutality" at the docks, citing the indiscriminate use of pepper spray and batons against peaceful protesters who were demonstrating in solidarity with Palestine. He urged formal statements and a question-and-answer session with the Minister for Justice on the policing incidents.
Engagement with the business committee
He said he had written to the business committee and raised the issue there, and thanked deputies for their proposals following a lengthy meeting the previous Thursday. He noted ongoing contact with the Minister for Justice about the matter.
Parliamentary scheduling and legislation
Paul Murphy outlined that there were three pieces of important legislation scheduled for the week and that the committee had considered where to find more time, mentioning fisheries as an example. He referenced an amendment put forward by Deputy MacDonald and other amendments relating to Gaza.
Leaders' questions and standing orders
He expressed surprise that Gaza had not been raised during leaders' questions despite having facilitated statements on Gaza on three occasions when requested. He said he was not in a position to accept any of the standing orders 35-3 that had been proposed to on Corolla and confirmed that the order of business stands for the week.
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Transcript
Thanks. I have written to the business committee and raised it at the business committee. I do think we need to have statements and questions and answers with the Minister for Justice in relation to the scenes of guarded brutality we saw Saturday before last with the indiscriminate use of pepper spray, battens against peaceful protesters at the docks, people protesting in solidarity with Palestine. We need to hear whether the Minister for Justice agrees with this or are we going to go down the road of Germany and other countries? I want to thank all the deputies for their proposals. We had a lengthy meeting of the business committee last Thursday. As everybody understands, we have three pieces of important legislation this week. We spent a lot of time wondering where we could eke out more time in relation to fisheries, for example. I understand the amendment that was put forward by both Deputy MacDonald and in relation to Gaza. I am actually surprised that we have just had leaders' questions and nobody raised Gaza. I have facilitated in the last week on three occasions statements in relation to Gaza on every day I was asked. I am actually amazed that they were not important enough to be raised under leaders' questions. In relation to what was raised in relation to the Minister for Justice, again, we are in contact with the Minister. What I would just want to say is that I am not in a position to accept any of the standing orders 35-3 that have been proposed to on Corolla and the order of business stands for this week. Thank you, deputies. Thank you.