Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
MICHEÁL MARTIN HAS claimed the “public aren’t excited” about the issue of pro-government TDs, who were involved in programme for government talks, joining a Dáil opposition group to get speaking rights in the Dáil.
A number of independent TDs who are supporting the incoming government have indicated they intend to form a technical group in opposition, which would afford them speaking time in the Dáil.
A technical group must have five or more TDs to qualify for Dáil speaking rights.
Such speaking rights include the ability to raise issues with the Taoiseach during Leaders’ Questions, something not available to Government backbench TDs or Independent TDs who are not part of a technical group.
TDs who have publicly stated they will be supporting the incoming government and who are also part of the Regional Independents group include Gillian Toole, Danny Healy-Rae and Barry Heneghan.
It is argued that they can be part of a technical group and enjoy Dáil speaking rights because they do not hold government positions.
However, Opposition TDs have slammed the move calling it “bizarre” and “ludicrous”, with a number of political parties indicating they are seeking legal advice on the matter.
They maintain that Independents that were involved in the programme for government, and whose colleagues now have ministerial roles, will be taking up valuable opposition speaking time, while at the same time, be supporting the government.
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has been advised that Independent TDs who support the government yet want to be part of an opposition grouping can do so.
Asked by The Journal today to outline his position on the matter and whether such TDs should be classed as government backbenchers or opposition TDs, Martin said:
“They are clearly TDs that are supporting the government, which has happened in the past, by the way. It’s not for me to adjudicate on that. That’s a matter for the Dáil itself, I’m a member of government. I’ll assess the situation and form my own opinion, in terms of the legal precedence that apparently may be there.”
He went on to add: “I’m not as excited about it as the opposition are.”
When asked if he thinks the public are excited about the issue of TDs having one foot in and one foot out of government, he said:
I don’t actually.
Martin said “the public aren’t as excited” about an issue such as this, stating that “the public are interested in the fundamentals that are facing us in terms of critical challenges facing this country”.
He said “people I meet on the street” care about things like housing and the economy.
He said there has been precedence in the past where Independents have supported the government from the opposition benches.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Banana republic
@Joe Beirne: Booming Republic.
@thomas molloy: For the minority
Loonies Republic
@Luke Littler: How to run with the hares, and hunt with the hounds simultaneously!
@Joe Beirne: Amazing all the thumbs up anti government comments get. If this was a reflection of public opinion FF or FG would not have a Dáil seat never mind being able to form a government.
@Luke Littler: “dictatorship”?? You’re having a laugh, for sure.
Pretty much the whole political spectrum is covered – people just don’t vote for them. Or, at least not enough to form a government.
@Vincent Alexander: because the majority who comment here aren’t reflective of society as a whole
@Luke Littler: we are neither, we are a vibrant democracy, one of the oldest in Europe
@Joe Beirne: Its grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented what Martin is attempting to do, I’d question the legality of it and urge the real opposition to try everything in their power to put a halt to this ie. go to Court.
@Johnny Wilson: Would we be up there with Ancient Greece?
@Johnny Wilson: Ireland is not one of Europe’s oldest democracies.Denmark, UK, Luxembourg, Sweden , Finland, Belgium,Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland ate all older.
Not excited. Just gobsmacked. It’s bizarre.
The aren’t in the door and the start back tracking
They will never be leaders. Cry babies. Hope people learnt a lesson about Indo’s.
@John Boyle: Public not excited Micheal, because they have lost all faith in politics, young people so disillusioned, that they don’t even vote, congrats. We have watched a CC appointed, who was accused of bullying & took out an NDA. We watched a man whom a Tribunal found to be guilty of accepting payments from two of the richest individuals in Ireland, dictate negotiations. We watched an individual from Kerry who bate the head of a Tourist, hanging around the negotiations & one of the RIG photographed with a career Criminal. We watch as more Ministerial positions are created & given massive pay increases. It’s a hard watch following all the faux concern & lies told prior to Election, now thrown out the window. You wonder why Gerry Hutch got so many votes ! People have lost all hope !
It’s a crazy way to run a democracy. Opposition is Opposition
@ian: Its more like north Korea now, Government not only control the media but now opposition as well, this is what a dictatorship looks like.
@087 bed: is it nice down there in the rabbit hole? Feel free to leave.
@087 bed: You haven’t been well for a while now..
@ian: It’s a crazy way for SF to run a political party by whinging four times a day every day. But if the lads in Belfast say so, then so be it.
@087 bed: North Korea, that is way over the top.
Is aul longer Martin still denying the bailout or has he finally gotten over that bout of amnesia he had from 2008…..
It’s another farce and a sham and all before the government has even been formed. I would be embarrassed to be associated with it as Taoiseach and it just goes to prove what a farce and a sham Michael Martin himself is.
Even if there is no rule that says they can’t form this technical group they should not form it in the best interests of the gov and the people they represent.
These independents only wish to form this group to take speaking time away from the opposition, to me that is treacherous. The citizens gave you their backing and you respond with treachery, start as you mean to go on lads?
MM a few days ago – ““I will work every day of those three years to do what I can to get this programme for government delivered to make life better for people,” ” – Not off to a great start so Michael.
@Paddy Short: He never has or never will represent the people of Ireland. He has proven that over and over again.
@Paddy Short: they don’t serve the people. its themselves, then the party. thats it.
@Paddy Short: the running on the Dail can’t be changed by the Government
Hard to be ‘excited’ about anything you do, Mr. Martin.
@Thesaltyurchin: Martin must wonder how we have reached the point where we celebrate as good news when a terror organisation is releasing 3 of the not killed kidnap victims. Martin and others should not measure right and wrong behaviour in a terrorist war by Irish civilisation measures.
I’m excited about Trump taking back power tomorrow.
@common sense: good for you. But what’s your opinion on the ridiculous matter of independents who are part of the government also being in opposition to the government?
@common sense: I’m sure you’ve a box of tissues at the ready to celebrate. I suppose that’s what fanboys if a sexual predator do..
@common sense: good on you. But that’ll make jack shyte of a difference to your life and the goings on in Ireland. But you do you. Have the hankies ready coz your going to lose your body weight in jizz seeing the orange lad and malaria
@common sense: Get up off your knees.
If this is allowed to ahead. The international reporting will feed into the gombeen backwater image Ireland worked hard to eradicate.
Shocking. Just shocking. The whole thing about forming this government is just bizarre. FG was the second biggest looser after GP, and they behave like winners. Nonsense.
Back to government formation talks. They won’t go far with this bunch.
FF WILL GO IN TO POWER WITH TALIBAN
@Paul Byrne: As long as it wasn’t with SF we’re on a winner.
@Dave f Doe: show me some evidence of this claim…oh wait you cant because sinn fein have NEVER been in govt and have NEVER had any power to do ANYTHING
@Paul Byrne: Taliban, who is the Taliban in Irish politics?
@Gary Kearney: The Healy-Raes!
@Vincent Alexander: correct
MM all the spine of a jellyfish. F ing weasel. A purge day for politicians wouldn’t go amiss.
What would else would you expect from a Giknah .
@Tony O’Toole: Great expression, sums up Martin to a tee.
Martin is a sleeveen still despite his holier than thou behaviour …. he never changed his FF attitude … always knows better and pontificating like a Christian brother. But FF and FG are true sleveens if he passes this ‘definition’ without very clear rules that exclude Zionism from the mix… Zionists are not Jews they are fascist ideologues, rascists, thieves and murderers some of who may be Jewish.
Michael D Higgins is no rascist, no murderer and no thief and he speaks with a clear conscience and a real depth of knowledge. Dana Erlich as ambassador of Israel is no spokesperson for Jews but is for genocidal behaviour and a country with no ethical or moral legitimacy. Shame on her and shame on Martin and the new government if indeed it gets past this disgrace.
@John G: What a disgusting antisemitic rambling we have here. Zionism is Judaism because, by definition, it is the belief that Jewish people have a right to live in their ancestral homeland. 95% of Jewish people are Zionists and 5% of Jews are simply self-hating. Zionism is one of the clearest examples of a belief system against racism because it believes in the right of the power for Jews to decolonise the area that they used to control. The only “genocide” that is happening is the imaginary one in your mind. The civilian to combatant ratio in the current Israel-Hamas War is 2:1. The average for conflicts around the world is 4:1. Care you explain why your buddies in Hamas haven’t built a single bomb shelter in the entirety of Gaza in the 18 years that they’ve ruled the place?
@John G: What about the fact that civilians aren’t allowed in the underground tunnel system in Gaza but Hamas militants are? Jewish people never stole a single piece of land, but the Arabs did. Name me just one Jewish settlement that was built on stolen Arab land before the six Arab armies invaded Israel after they declared independence in 1948 in order to wipe out the Jews and failed. Michael D. Higgins is an antisemitic clown who continually embarrasses himself on the world stage. He lavishes praise on authoritarian dictatorships like Cuba and Iran and refuses to condemn their blatant human rights abuses while simultaneously singling out the only Jewish State in the world and repeating slanders and lies about them. Shame on you for being a complete and utter uneducated plank.
@William Jennings: that’s clearly untrue considering many Zionists are irreligious despite being Jewish in name only. Don’t fall for equating all Jews with Israel when there’s a very considerable and disparate body of Jews both in and out of Israel who despise Israel and despise Zionism and are practising Jews. Einstein did not agree with the idea of a Jewish state either. So go I form yourself please.
@William Jennings: I think your swallowing pure Israeli propaganda from the state that allows no journalists enter Gaza or provide ‘any’ tangible evidence of hospital bases or weapons stores etc. Speaks for itself like sniped children with head shots does.
@William Jennings: the Nakba of 48! When Zionist sertlers from all across the world invaded and displaced a million Palestinians creating ghettos and prison camps like Gaza and the west bank..
You seem to have zero knowledge of this colonial adventure into Palestine but don’t worry we are here to educate you..
@Dave f Doe: it’s great you zio psychopaths show the world exactly who you are these days with your open blood lust and psychotic tenancies!
Poor old mehole…..being bu€€ f@€ked by the Healy raes
@David Cotter: He is one sleazy operator. The most insincere man of all times.
@David Corrigan: 100 per cent. The very definition of a Sleeveen that fella.
@Brian: If he had any real ability as a politician or a man he would be dangerous.
@David Cotter: Hope you were wearing protection.
@David Cotter: do you really believe fffg were not behind this?
@Brian: I think you’re being very charitable calling Mehole a slieveen!
Hiw do you make something illegal but not illegal; rewrite the Occupied Territories Bill that was accepted by every party in the Dáil, disgusting.
@Brian D’Arcy: Comment sense prevailed. Taking a multi-billion euro economic hit for the sake of a bill that does nothing of any description for Palestinians in any way shape or form would have been an act of unprecedented national self-harm. You’re confusing hubris with solidarity. We’re lucky that the authors of the bill – various partisan ngos and demented anti Israel headbangers – aren’t running the country.
@honey badger: * Common sense
Id say most people are very unexcited about seeing you as taoiseach.
Well ye voted these shower in what u expect fairness. All politicians are same
X fine Gael minister Lowry running the show
Well done voters enjoy the next 5 years of abuse
I actually really detest that piig, MM and his FF party.
Bending to their masters Israel already watering down the occupied territories bill
@Kevin O Brien: No actually, it’s because America called out the idiots in Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for their uneducated and unqualified anti-Israel ramblings. It was a foolhardy and nonsensical bill which had no basis in history or in the present day. Martin already got a clip around the ear before the election for his antisemitic comments, he needs to be given a bigger clip so he knows that no sort of farcical legislation like this should be passed at all, watered down or not.
@Kevin O Brien: Actually it is because of the way the bill is written. A bill can not be passed if written incorrectly in relation to the constitution and the law.
They have said the department of justice says the present bill does that.
I am no expert in constitutional law but they have them on staff!
@William Jennings: nobody wants to hear the ramblings of a zio Nazis stop with the ridiculous comments everybody in the country has watch what Israel is all about over the last year we know they are baby killers with no legitimacy
So why hasn’t he tried to block it from happening? Fianna Fáil is the largest party in the Dáil, they could easily tell their doppelgängers in Fine Gael that they don’t want such a thing happening. I personally couldn’t care less though because such a thing has precedent when left-wing TD Tony Gregory was a longtime supporter of the government despite sitting on the opposition benches. It’s a smart action by the politicians who are engaging in it this time and it’s perfectly permission even if it is politically opportunistic. Take Danny Healy-Rae. It will give him the flexibility to push for funding and good deals for Kerry while not being whipped into voting for bills which are anti-agriculture and anti-farmer that would annoy his voters.
I wish they’d just get on with it. All the headline seekers are desperate for attention. I’d prefer to see how the new government addresses our many issues before judging them.
@honey badger: Nothing will be fixed HB and you know it. We will be looking at the same issues again in 5 years after firing another few hundred million at the people in charge and still nothing fixed. It’s the greatest disaster of all time.
@David Corrigan: I don’t know that, and you saying it’s the greatest disaster of all time is credulous nonsense. Dial down the silliness.
@honey badger: If they didn’t fix the problems in the previous 5 years then why would they start now? Especially after the electorate has basically told them that any current issues are tolerable.
@Rochelle Hart: That’s what I’m waiting to see, Rochelle.
@honey badger: That’s why I dramatised it for you. You are waiting on a bus that will never arrive.
They are the CAUSE of all the countries social problems. They have no intention of reversing what they have done.
If you can’t see that by now, then there really isn’t any hope for you.
@David Corrigan: Yeah, I’d say that’s why you ” dramatised it” alright…
@honey badger: And here we are. You still believing they will deliver on items they have promised on for decades.
I will leave you to it. You need time to reflect.
@Rochelle Hart: Just more disingenuous bs from the usual pro estaishment protagonists.. FG are in power 14 years but apparently it’s gonna take another 5 and essentially 2 decades to decide if they can deliver.. such drivelous ramblings. These lads are,as Simon himself would say, gowls.
Bread buttered on both sides.
We want a creadbel opposition to hold the government to account.
Isn’t that how democracy is supposed to work?
Mm 2 faced rat .
The Left tried to cobble together the most unlikely to work together alliance so it could be worse.
Just wondering????? Is negativity a trending thing or is there a competition I haven’t heard about. ?
@thomas molloy: ” with so many things coming back in style, I can’t wait until morals, respect and intelligence becomes a trend again “
Maybe he should speak to the public before claiming we support govt tds taking up speaking time from opposition tds
Can Mehole not give a sentence with using the word fundamental, jesus every time he speaks he belts it out.
The electorate has basically handed these people the reigns (again !) to do whatever the hell they want with the Irish. Sadly, it was the majority of the Irish voters who have put them straight back there (again!).
The Irish.
I don’t know whether to laugh at them
Or cry for them.
God help us the banks will give all the away again and then it wasn’t me
Speak for yourself Mr Martin. If this goes through, it will be a disgrace- we need a proper functioning democracy and having government-leaning TDs eating up opposition speaking time smacks of autocratic tendencies.
have your say