Video: Aengus Ó Snodaigh enters ‘amazeyballs’ into Dáil record

TDs bewildered as Sinn Féin deputy says it is a ‘new term in the southside’ for ‘brilliant’

TDs were left bewildered today when the word “amazeballs” was entered into the Dáil record by Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

Unfortunately the Sinn Féin deputy pronounced the term “amazey-balls” when using it during a debate on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013.

“It doesn’t I don’t think get the full balance right. It’s certainly not amazey-balls, I think is the new term in the southside, it’s not brilliant,” he said tripping over the new word during the debate.

“Amazey-balls so there you go, that’s a new term for you,” he said looking around at the handful of deputies in the chamber.

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Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton joked "sorry we're all northsiders". "It's not on the west side where I live," he said.

Then Ms Burton spotted Fine Gael TD Olivia Mitchell and said "Olivia might have heard it she's from the southside". But a confused Deputy Mitchell asked if it was " a new craze". "It's a new terminology for fantastic or brilliant," Mr Ó Snodaigh elaborated .

Chairman Bernard Durkan then saw it was time to intervene in the hefty debate raging in the lower house. " The rest of us might like to understand what's going on as well. The terminology is no known to us," he said. "It's fantastic," Ó Snodaigh clarified.

Mr Ó Snodaigh suggested deputies could “ have a discussion on that another time”.

Genevieve Carbery

Genevieve Carbery

Genevieve Carbery is Deputy Head of Audience at The Irish Times