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THE DÁIL HAS been adjourned after a contentious motion to create a new speaking slot for government backbenchers and a group of independents was carried, after the Ceann Comhairle said the vote on the matter was obstructed.
It comes after chaotic scenes that saw the House suspended when Leaders’ Questions ended in a chaotic row over the vote.
It is the latest development in the speaking rights row, which has created an impasse in the parliament and has prevented the progression of legislation after four independent TDs sought to take seats in opposition after negotiating the programme for government.
The Dáil voted 94 to 74 to pass the controversial amendment.
The combined opposition proposal to amend the Government’s motion was never put to a vote.After the vote was held, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy said that one side “have, without good reason, refused to sign the teller sheet”. Therefore, the motion was carried, she said.
A number of government TDs then left the chamber while opposition TDs remained on their feet shouting at the Ceann Comhairle.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin attempted to continue with the Order of Business, but opposition members refused to resume their seats, with some shouting “shame”. Microphones were turned off as the shouting continued and the Ceann Comhairle was unable to be heard at certain points.
Commenting after today’s proceedings a spokesperson for the Taoiseach said there was an effort to intimate the Ceann Comhairle today, stating that she dealt with very difficult circumstances before her. However, he stopped short of calling it misogynistic.
Murphy at one point during the chaos made reference to misogyny against her in the chamber today.
After the disruptions today, the Ceann Comhairle then adjourned the Dáil until 9am tomorrow.
Throughout today’s proceedings there was confusion among Dáil members as to the agenda being followed.
At one point, the Ceann Comhairle asked if the Order of Business for the week was agreed. This is the Dáil schedule for the week, and it is routine for the opposition to not agree to it, triggering a vote every week. However, on this occasion, despite a clear afront to proceedings, no vote was carried out.
Five opposition parties met yesterday to agree to oppose and protest the proposal, which sees the creation of a new technical term to allow the four TDs – Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Danny Healy Rae and Gillian Toole – to have time to speak in the Dáil.
However, the opposition claimed the government has reneged on their promise to come to an agreed compromise on the issue after the row prevented the election of a Taoiseach in January of this year.
Following the approval of the week’s order of business during chaotic scenes in the Dáil, the Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy moved to suspend the Dáil for 15 minutes.
She told members that they were “making a show” of themselves amid shouts and jeers during Leaders’ Questions, when Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the proposal to resolve the speaking rights row is a “farce”.
She said government has “gone back” on their commitment to find a resolution.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said all government is asking is for eight minutes, on two days, to make the relevant changes. He said the response from Sinn Féin and opposition is “disproportionate” and claimed to the TDs have “manufactured” a political row.
Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan said: “This is a shameless political stroke that would make even Bertie blush.”
Martin was repeatedly interrupted throughout Leaders’ Questions this afternoon. Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the issue boiled down to a “simple matter”: TDs cannot be in opposition and government at the same time.
She said that it “matters for our communities” that the lines are clear on those definition so that opposition can hold government to account and described the new speaking slot as “nonsensical”.
Martin, again, rejected the claims. He said there will be “absolutely no change” in accountability under the new proposal. Bacik said Martin “used this row to give yourself Wednesday afternoons off”.
A number of TDs rose to their feet after the completion of Leaders’ Questions, seeking to disrupt the agreement of the order of business. It was not long until the majority of opposition TDs were standing to protest remarks made by the Taoiseach, Murphy and today’s vote.
At one point, Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly was among those standing and shouting about Lowry’s involvement in the row. Lowry simply waved over at her with a smile.
Video has since emerged of Lowry putting up two fingers to People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy.
With the Dáil adjourned until 9am tomorrow, today’s scheduled business did not go ahead.
The Statute Law Revision Bill 2024 was due to be heard at second stage at 3.55pm, while a Sinn Féin private members motion to better support and improve recruitment to the National Ambulance Service was scheduled to be debated at 6.25pm.
Following this, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon was scheduled to take questions from members at 8.25pm.
Topical issues were then scheduled to be discussed at 9.55pm, with the Dáil subsequently due to rise at 10.43pm.
Speaking outside Leinster House today, member-after-member of the opposition pushed back against the proposal for a new speaking slot and new technical terms.
Almost all TDs independently argued that the proposal took away from the existing time to complete Dáil business and created accommodations for four TDs who have publicly stated that they would consistently support the government.
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins and Labour TD Duncan Smith said that there was still time for government to shelve its proposal and come to another agreement.
Remarks made by People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy at Leinster House today indicated that the opposition did not intend to walk out of the Dáil but instead disrupt the chamber’s business to prevent the vote going ahead.
That view was shared by many TDs, including Gannon who told reporters that it was not in his interest to disrupt the Dáil but instead “stand up” for the opposition as a cohesive bloc and the “integrity” of the parliament.
It is understood that the Taoiseach reached out to a number of leaders from the opposition yesterday evening. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Labour leader Ivana Bacik briefly spoke with Micheál Martin.
According to statements following two separate phone calls, McDonald and Bacik claimed to have told the Fianna Fáil leader that their parties would not be supporting the speaking time arrangement and would be protesting the decision in the Dáil today.
Speaking to reporters this morning, Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended the government’s proposed resolution to the row, claiming that the changes are “modest” and do not call for “efforts to frustrate progress in the Dail”.
“I think the proposals are balanced, they’re modest. The opposition are losing no time at all. Some opposition parties will gain more time, actually,” he said.
“And it seems to me that there needs to be some rebalancing and enabling backbench TDs to at least get an opportunity.”
Pressed on the proposal to halve time for Taoiseach’s Questions, he said: “That’s the Taoiseach’s slot, not Leaders’ Questions.”
“They weren’t being used as well as opposition are claiming, by the way. Some opposition leaders didn’t participate in that,” he said. “There’s a lot of issues that demand a lot of attention – and the Taoiseach of the day will be the most accountable prime minister in Europe.”
Tánaiste Simon Harris has likened the potential for opposition disruption to behaviour in a “creche”. Harris, who was speaking to reporters before a Cabinet meeting and his visit to Lebanon, said the opposition response has been “disproportionate”.
Asked if he was worried about an opposition walk-out in the Dáil today, Harris said: “No, I’m worried about the safety of our troops in Lebanon. I’m worried about making sure we continue to project jobs and investment in Ireland, and really, any sort of political stunts I don’t really have much bandwidth for them quite frankly.”
Additional reporting by Lauren Boland, Christina Finn, Jane Moore and Press Association
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