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LAST UPDATE | 9 hrs ago
OPPOSITION LEADERS ARE expected to tell Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy that they no longer have confidence in her in the Dáil chamber this afternoon.
It was agreed at a meeting of leaders from the opposition this morning following the disruption in the Dáil over controversial speaking time changes yesterday.
The opposition party representatives will also consider their response to the disorder in the Dáil yesterday, ahead of the resumption of proceedings today, after a vote to introduce a new speaking slot for government backbenchers and independent TDs.
Members of the opposition were standing on their feet to protest the vote. As a result, Murphy suspended the House, which was ultimately adjourned, with no vote taking place on yesterday’s Order of Business—a move that infuriated the opposition.
Any conclusion will be put to parliamentary parties before midday.
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has said he would be cautious to move too quickly to state no confidence in the Ceann Comhairle, despite sharing anger over the vote yesterday, arguing that the circumstances in the Dáil would not have benefited anyone.
He added that expressing no confidence in Murphy would not “fix the situation”, laying the blame on the government. He said more attention needs to be placed on holding government accountable for the vote, rather than “mistakes” of a third party.
Murphy has yet to appear in front of TDs in the Dáil today, where debates got underway without disruption shortly after 9am.
There were chaotic scenes of shouting, interruptions, rude gestures and allegations of misogyny yesterday, as weeks of tension over the speaking rights row boiled over during Leaders’ Questions.
The motion, which was aimed to an end to the speaking rights row, sparked shouting and disorderly scenes in the chamber after the opposition said due procedure was not adhered to by Murphy.
The Dáil voted 94 to 74 to pass the controversial rule change, which changes how speaking rights are divided up. The opposition have contested the ratification of the vote.
Members of the opposition were standing on their feet to protest the vote. As a result, Murphy suspended the House, which was ultimately adjourned, with no vote taking place on yesterday’s Order of Business—a move that infuriated the opposition.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman told RTÉ’s Late Debate last night that the leaders would discuss how the opposition would proceed, as well as the role of the Ceann Comhairle.
Throughout the back-and-forth between TDs and the Ceann Comhairle, Murphy repeatedly pointed out that it was evident many in the House did not show respect for her, as she instructed them to take their seats and remain silent.
In a show of unity, the leaders of all Opposition parties held a joint media conference on the plinth of Leinster House yesterday evening – where they claimed the Government and Ceann Comhairle had worked in concert to push through changes in the standing orders that would give two eight-minute speaking slots to a new group of “other TDs”.
Tánaiste Simon Harris described the scenes in the Dáil yesterday as “unseemly and unbecoming”. Speaking to reporters in Lebanon, where he is visiting Irish peacekeepers, Harris said that people watching the chaos unfurl “would be very disappointed”.
“To see adults standing up shouting and roaring and hooping and hollering isn’t anything you don’t want to see in any workplace, at least, least of all the Dáil”, Harris said.
He also described Michael Lowry’s rude two-finger gesture to People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy as “unbecoming”, but added that “it wasn’t as isolated incident”. Harris added that TDs need to “get on with” their work after the incident yesterday.
“There isn’t agreement – there’s no point pretending there is. We have had a vote in the Dail, the people’s representatives have spoken, and we need to get on with doing the work.”
Junior Transport Minister, and Lowry ally, Seán Canney claimed not to have seen what had taken place - despite an image of Lowry’s two-figure gesture being widely published on the front pages of national newspapers today – when speaking to RTÉ News.
“What I would say is that [the image of Lowry's gesture] is a caption in a moment,” he told RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland.
“If you were in the Dáil chamber yesterday and people had phones in your face, videoing you against all the rules of the House – I don’t know what happened, and I won’t comment on that.
“This is not about two fingers,” Canney added. “This is about the fact that we have people elected to the Dáil. We have a majority in the Dáil and what we need to do is get on with our business.”
Additional reporting from Christina Finn and PA
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