TRANSPORT MINISTER DARRAGH O’Brien has said that Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has the “full support” of the government.

He also remarked that the opposition “needs to get on with the job at hand”.

Murphy this week said she “fully intends” to continue as Ceann Comhairle after opposition parties published the text of a motion of no confidence in her, which will come before the Dáil on Tuesday.

There were chaotic scenes of shouting, interruptions and allegations of misogyny in the Dáil on Tuesday as weeks of tension over the speaking rights row boiled over during Leaders’ Questions.

Murphy faced continual interruptions as she tried to continue proceedings as opposition TDs took to their feet and objected to the Government’s proposals to change speaking time arrangements.

The controversial changes to standing orders include the creation of new speaking slots for coalition backbenchers and Government-aligned independents, a reduction of time for contributions on debating the order of business, and a halving of slots for Taoiseach’s Questions.

Opposition parties say the changes are an attempt to dilute their ability to hold the Government to account and to blur the relationship between the independents who have supported the formation of the coalition.

Verona Murphy has said she plans to remain as Ceann Comhairle despite a motion of no confidence from opposition parties. The Journal The Journal

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, O’Brien said he “hopes” the confidence motion on Tuesday will be the end of the speaking rights row.

“What we saw this week in the behaviour, particularly of the main opposition party Sinn Féin, aided and abetted by colleagues in the Labour Party in particular, was absolutely disgraceful,” said O’Brien.

He said Murphy was “treated with such disrespect that I have never actually witnessed before”.

He added that he “regrets the fact that the opposition have tabled a no confidence motion” and remarked that Murphy has “executed her functions absolutely properly”.

“I would hope that Tuesday will conclude the situation.

“The Ceann Comhairle has our full support, and we will be supporting her in that vote on Tuesday.

“The opposition, I would say, need to get on with the job at hand.”

O’Brien said it is right for the opposition to hold the government to account but added: “The election has happened and they lost.

“There’s a reality that the government has been put together, that when every new Oireachtas comes in, standing orders are altered or reformed or changed.

“Even when there are disagreements, there’s no excuse for the behaviour that we saw.”

He said he “understand that opposition may disagree with decisions the government makes with regard to standing orders or proposals, but there’s no excuse for what we saw”.

“The hatred and vitriol that I witnessed sitting in the Dáil chamber and the level of abuse was something I never witnessed before,” said O’Brien.

“I thought the day when the opposition ensured that the election of Taoiseach that couldn’t happen, was the worst that I would ever see, and that was actually surpassed by this Tuesday.

“I would ask that in whatever manner that the opposition are entitled to put forward their views, that the manner they do that is in a respectful way.

“For people looking in at what happened on Tuesday, they were disgusted frankly.”

Meanwhile, O’Brien said that Murphy has been “targeted by large parts of the opposition in a coordinated way”.

He added that she will “win a vote of confidence next week and deserves to continue in her role”.

“You cannot just decide that you’re going to target an office holder or a position on the basis that you do not agree with the position that they have taken.

“No one can point out to me where she has not discharged her duties appropriately.”

He added that there were elements of misogyny to the chaotic scenes on Tuesday and remarked: “When the Chair stands in the Dáil, people should sit down.

“But anyone who watched that would see that that was obviously planned.

“They’re entitled to have a different view and to articulate that view, but not in the manner in which they did.

“I think Verona Murphy has been treated atrociously by members in the opposition.”