Irish lawmaker pulls female MP onto his lap during abortion debate

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Raw Story

Irish lawmaker pulls female MP onto his lap during abortion debate
By David Edwards
Friday, July 12, 2013 13:05 EDT

An Irish politician has apologized after he was seen pulling a female colleague onto his lap during an abortion debate that ran into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

As the Republic of Ireland’s upper house was debating a landmark bill that for the first time granted abortion rights in the cases where the life of the mother was at risk, Fine Gael TD Tom Barry was caught on parliament video forcing colleague TD Aine Collins to sit on his lap.

“I went to the Dail bar but I wasn’t drinking excessively,” Barry explained, according to the Irish Independent. “There was nothing pre-meditated, it was stupid, it was disrespectful.”

“I spoke to my wife this morning and all she said to me was: ‘You big eejit.’ I feel so embarrassed over this,” he continued. “I feel very upset that it is being described as that (sexist). I didn’t intend to offend anyone and I can’t offer any excuse other than to put it down to stupidity, naivety and inexperience.”

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/12/irish-lawmaker-pulls-female-mp-onto-his-lap-during-abortion-debate/

[NYC_SKP]

1. It looks like assault in the pic.

[bemildred]

26. Yep, that's an assault all right.

He should be sued and he should be charged.

[polly7]

2. Gross.

It looks like she's nauseated and holding her stomach as she leaves. How can such a stupid man be in a position to decide the fate of anyone but his pet goldfish.

[bravenak]

3. Ewwww!

What a weirdo.

[prole_for_peace]

4. What the actual f*ck?!

I was eating my sandwich and browsing the latest threads. I was just taking another bite when I read this title. I sure hope no one was walking past my office because my eyes got wide and I was frozen with my mouth around my sandwich for what seemed like forever before my brain processed what I was reading and I was able to reach for my mouse and click.

And now I am a little sick to my stomach

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. That's called battery, jackass.

Unfrickin' believable that this happened and further unfrickin' believable he's upset because it is being called sexist. And during a debate about women's bodily autonomy, no less! Dude needs an official smackdown from the House.

[Alameda]

14. assault and battery....

why isn't he in jail?

[geek tragedy]

6. “I feel very upset that it is being described as that (sexist).

I didn't mean to offend anybody."

reminds me of this:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/october-10-1991,10578/

?4065

[Scairp]

7. He's "upset" that his actions are being called sexist?

Well I don't know what else you could call it. Would he have done the same thing to a male colleague? If the answer would be no, then yes it was a sexist act, and male or female he pulled onto his lap against their will, it is also at the very least battery upon another person and at the very worst sexual harassment. I keep thinking that Ireland has evolved into a sophisticated, European country with sense, but time and again they prove me wrong. It's just very disappointing.

[Blandocyte]

8. And slaps her rear as she's getting up. Creeper

Hopefully he'll be charged with battery.

[adirondacker]

9. Reminds me of the Bush and Merkel incident. Definitley upstaged the creep factor.

[DWinNJ]

11. GWB

His stupid and inappropriate acts alone qualifies him for worst president.
He also winked at the Queen of England

[Ilsa]

10. I hope he apologized to his victim. nt

[Kelvin Mace]

21. He has yet to apologzie to anyone

That horseshit wasn't an apology.

[Ken Burch]

23. His lawyers probably told him NOT to apologize.

If the Irish legal system is anything at all like ours, an apology is tantamount to an admission of guilt, and he'd be totally screwed if the female TD(that's what members or deputies of the Irish Dail are called) were to pursue criminal charges or a civil action.

[mainer]

12. A 44-year-old man pleads "Naivete and inexperience"

"I can’t offer any excuse other than to put it down to stupidity, naivety and inexperience,” he said.

How old do men have to be to no longer use naivete as an excuse?

[Ken Burch]

24. What's the latest estimate for male life expectancy in the Western world?

[Stargazer09]

13. Stupid, yes.

Naive and inexperienced? No. He was simply being a jerk, trying to "put the little lady in her place."

[olddad56]

15. I guess they have republicians in Ireland too.

[DeSwiss]

16. K&R!

- Somebody needs to take a shillelagh to this piker!

[Solly Mack]

17. Creep.

[B Stieg]

18. Uh oh. Looks like the Texas GOP has found its replacement for Rick Perry!

[derby378]

19. DUzy!

[Kelvin Mace]

20. Jeebus, how many damned non-apologies

can you put into a single non-apology?

“I went to the Dail bar but I wasn’t drinking excessively"

I was drunk, but not really drunk.

“There was nothing pre-meditated, it was stupid, it was disrespectful.”

You reached up and grabbed the woman and forced her on to your lap. "Stupid" and "disrespectful" are not the words I would use, "assault" and "battery" are. Also, you had a thought "I am going to grab that woman and make her sit on my lap" you then did just that, so "premeditation" is apparent.

“I spoke to my wife this morning and all she said to me was: ‘You big eejit.’ I feel so embarrassed over this,”

"Eejit"? Really? So, you are married to Bobby Singer from "Supernatural"?

I am sure your wife called you something, but "eejit" wasn't the word, unless it is Irish for "My solicitor will be by with the divorce papers in the morning."

“I feel very upset that it is being described as that (sexist)"

Klansmen, for some odd reason, get really upset when you call them racist assholes. Go figure.

"I didn’t intend to offend anyone"

So you grabbed a woman and assaulted her because.....? I mean, it seems that human beings, as a rule, take offense at being physically assaulted. Or, maybe that's just me.

"I can’t offer any excuse other than to put it down to stupidity, naivety and inexperience.”

*Bzzzzzt!!!*

No, I am sorry, but thank you for playing. The correct response was:

"I can't offer any excuse."

You just invalidated "I can't offer any excuse" by offering up excuses.

Stupidity? No question. Add to that, sexist ass-hattery, boorishness, cadishness, all out colostomy-bagishness.

But "naivety and inexperience”? Are you feckin' kidding me, Father Ted? You get to make that excuse when you are eight, not forty-four.

But, what the hell, we'll try you as an adult in any case.

[enlightenment]

25. Bonus points for

the Father Ted reference.

You nailed it.

[Zoeisright]

22. Definitely elbow into the thorax time.

Choke that fucker for that assault.