Abandonment of the "inane" rule that the Leinster House debating chambers must be absolutely emblem-free zones was urged by Mr David Norris (Ind). The House Committee on Procedure and Privileges (CPP) should be asked to look again at the prohibition, he said.
On his way into the Dail on Wednesday he had been stopped and told he could not enter the lobby because he was wearing a ribbon to mark disability day. The Superintendent of the Houses had been acting on the "inane" advice of the CPP.
Mr Norris said he quite understood that it would be dangerous to permit the wearing of potentially divisive political emblems. But in this instance parliamentarians had been invited to help promote positive publicity for the disabled by wearing a distinctive ribbon.
House leader Mr Donie Cassidy responded that the issue could be taken up with the committee.