THE 34th DÁIL will sit for the first time this morning in Leinster House following the general election last month. 

For the first time in history, this Dáil will have 174 TDs, 14 more than the last term.

The first order of business will be to elect a new Ceann Comhairle, with four TDs in the race.

In a move that has irked some TDs, the impartial position with a salary of €255,000 has formed a key component of government formation talks.

Outgoing Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl is seeking re-election, competing against fellow Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness, Independent TD Verona Murphy and Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh. 

The position is filled by a secret ballot of TDs, meaning that the winner is no sure thing.

However, the leadership of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have both asked their TDs to vote for Independent TD for Wexford Verona Murphy as part of a deal with the Regional Independents and it is expected that she will have the numbers to secure the position.

Both leaders have asked their TDs to vote for Murphy in a bid to progress government formation talks with the Regional Independents.

The decision has received criticism from some Fianna Fáil TDs, in particular from Ó Fearghaíl who yesterday told RTÉ that the position should not be used as a “bargaining chip” in Government formation talks. 

Wicklow-Wexford TD Malcolm Byrne also voiced concerns about backing Murphy during yesterday’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary meeting.

The regional group of Independent TDs is a technical group in the Dáil made up of Sean Canney, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, Noel Grealish, Michael Lowry, Kevin (‘Boxer’) Moran, Verona Murphy and Gillian Toole. 

Aontú’s Peadár Tóibín and Paul Lawless are also members of the technical group but are not involved in government formation talks. 

It is understood that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael see Murphy’s election to ceann comhairle as a means of both parties bolstering their majority, with it likely to result in an additional junior ministry up for grabs. 

The secret ballot uses the PR-STV (proportional representation with a single transferable vote) system.

The Social Democrats and the Labour Party have both confirmed that their TDs will not be told by party leadership who to vote for and are free to support whomever they see fit. 

A spokesperson for the Social Democrats described it as extraordinary that Fianna Fáil has opted to endorse an Independent candidate despite two of its TDs expressing an interest in the role.

“It is clear that what is happening is a stitch up, by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, who are attempting to use the office of Ceann Comhairle as a bargaining chip in government formation talks,” the spokesperson said.

“This is a regressive step which threatens to undo years of work in reforming Dáil practices and procedures. For that reason, the Social Democrats will not be endorsing a candidate,” they added.