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Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris speaking to media outside Government Buildings after the Dáil was adjourned in chaos amidst controversy over speaking time. RollingNews.ie

'Stunt politics on speed': Harris and Martin round on opposition after day of chaos in Dáil

The Fianna Fáil leader described the scenes in the Dáil as “the subversion of the Irish Constitution”.

MARY LOU MCDONALD has rejected claims by the leader of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that Sinn Féin and other opposition parties coordinated together today to disrupt the election of Micheál Martin as Taoiseach.

Martin described today’s chaotic scenes in the Dáil as the “subversion of the Irish Constitution” as incoming Tánaiste Simon Harris described today’s events as “utterly farcical”. 

The Dáil met at 11am this morning and was supposed to be voting on a new Taoiseach, but the chamber was adjourned following a chaotic and ongoing row over speaking time in the opposition.

Members of the opposition argued that the Regional Independent Group should not be sitting alongside them or taking their speaking time as four members of the pack of TDs had negotiated the programme for government.

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspended the Dáil twice as opposition TDs protested the decision that allowed them to stay.

After returning at 4pm, Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton attempted to continue proceedings as planned and begin nominations for Taoiseach. The move was met with even more protests, and shouts that the decision was a “disgrace”.

No new Taoiseach was elected after the Dáil was adjourned until tomorrow morning. Martin told reporters outside Government Buildings in Dublin that it was the obligation of the Dáil to elect a Taoiseach and a government.

He claimed the opposition, and namely Sinn Féin, had blocked the vote in a “premeditated, coordinated and choreographed” move.

“There was numerous attempts to facilitate agreement. At various times, people thought agreements had been arrived at, and it became very clear to us that there was no intention ever to reach agreement on the nomination of a Taoiseach or a Government.

This is the first time, I think, in over 100 years, that the Dáil has failed to elect a government, to fulfill its constitutional obligation.

Martin said “any other issues pale in significance” in comparison to that “fundamental obligation”.

Harris, the Fine Gael leader, said there was a clear majority of the people’s representatives “ready and willing” to elect the next government.

“Instead, what we saw was an effort to obstruct, an effort to shout down, an effort to disrespect the Ceann Comhairle and her constitutional office, and ultimately preventing a majority of the democratically elected representatives of Dáil Éireann to discharge their duty and their mandate to elect a Taoiseach.”

‘Stunt politics on speed’

Harris was strongly critical of the Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who was among the opposition TDs in the Dáil to oppose members of the Regional Independents being given opposition speaking rights.

He claimed that McDonald was the only party leader who spoke in the Dáil today and did so with “one purpose” – to block the nomination of the Taoiseach – adding that the public would “see through this”.

“What happened today was stunt politics on speed, led my Mary Lou McDonald.”

He acknowledged that other party leaders had also protested over the speaking time row, not just the leader of the opposition, after being challenged on the point by journalists.

He said that a Dáil reform committee was due to meet tomorrow to begin resolving the issue. When asked if it would be easier for the regional independent TDs to enter government as backbenchers, he told media that it was “not the issue”.

Martin and Harris statement-14_90720794 A media scrum outside Government Buildings in Dublin this evening. © RollingNews.ie © RollingNews.ie

“Micheál Martin and Simon Harris have no role in deciding what the Ceann Comhairle’s directions are in relation to technical groups. None whatsoever. That is a ruling of the Ceann Comhairle,” Harris said.

He said that it was up to Murphy to make a decision on who is permitted to start technical groupings to qualify for speaking time and that she had made it “very clear” that he issues would be resolved in the new committee.

Naughton also claimed that there had been meetings with the party whips today and an agreement was made to pass a motion this evening to establish the new committee. She said, however, that “all bets were off” once the Dáil resumed.

‘No agreement was reached’

A very different version of events was recalled by opposition leaders outside Leinster House this evening.

Speaking to reporters, People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd Barrett, Labour’s Ivana Bacik, Social Democrats’ Cian O’Callaghan, Independent Ireland’s Michael Collins and Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald all outright rejected claims that an agreement had been made.

According to the group, it was their understanding that the Dáil would be adjourned this evening and that all party leaders would take place so that a resolution would be found.

Cross party statement-12_90720817 ( L-R)Cian O'Callaghan of the Social Democrats, Michael Collins of Independent Ireland, Ivana Bacik of Labour, Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin and Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit speak to media outside Leinster House this evening. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

McDonald wholly rejected the claim that she wanted to disrupt Dáil proceedings today. She said, however, that the opposition will continue to “stand firm” in their position.

“This mess was created by the government,” she told reporters, adding that the incoming coalition had been aware of the disagreement for at least a week.

She said it was imperative to the Irish democratic process to protest a move that allowed those who supported the incoming coalition and negotiated the programme for government to sit in the opposition benches.

This point was echoed by all party leaders this evening in Dublin. Collins said that it was their duty, in the interest of those who elected the TDs, that there is a “very clear opposition” in the Dáil.

“We have not refused the regionals the right to speak from within government time,” Collins said. “The government that they want to support, and it’s their choice.”

“But unfortunately, they [the Regional Independent Group] want their bread buttered on both sides – and that can’t work. Democracy has to stand here.”

‘Intimidation’

Micheál Martin also said that Verona Murphy was “treated in an appalling manner”.

“I think the Ceann Comhairle was bullied from the outset. I think there were comments made that should never have been made, by Deputy Matt Carthy in particular.”

He also said he believed there was “attempted intimidation” and an effort “to hold the government to ransom”. 

“It’s an extraordinary situation that someone can attempt to rationalise the idea that you don’t vote on the nomination of the Taoiseach. That you deny a legitimate democratic, parliamentary process of voting,” Martin continued.

“This has never happened in the history of the State before. By all means, have your disagreements, but this is very fundamental, as far as I’m concerned, and I’m in Dáil Éireann since 1989. I’ve never witnessed this. There is no excuse for it. No justification for it.”

Asked if he accepted the opposition having concerns about having to share their speaking time with government backbenchers, Harris said there were proposals put forward today to try and address issues in relation to speaking time going forward. 

“The people who got elected as TDs for Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and independents also have a mandate in Dáil Eireann,” he said.

“It was crystal clear to everyone when they got out of the bed this morning that there was a majority of the people’s representatives, who have mandates as well, who wanted to elect a taoiseach and a government today to discharge their constitutional duties.

“And Dáil Éireann has ended today without that opportunity being allowed because of these shenanigans.”

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