AONTÚ’S TWO TDS Peadar Tóibín and Paul Lawless have left the Regional Independent technical group.
The group and the speaking rights they will have in the new Dáil are at the centre of the speaking rights row. The Dáil has been suspended three times today and raised a question mark over whether Micheál Martin will be appointed Taoiseach today.
Toibín has told reporters in Leinster House that himself and Lawless will be joining the technical group that includes Independent Ireland’s four TDs and Independent Paul Gogarty.
The Social Democrats, along with Sinn Féin called on Tóibín to ditch the party, stating that he was facilitating a situation where Independents supporting government were gaining Opposition speaking time.
However, in a statement to The Journal on Monday, the Meath TD said such a demand being made on him and his party was “ludicrous”.
Toíbín confirmed the move from Aontú today stating that they have a “new home” with the other technical group which will give them speaking rights.
Aontú leader Peadar Toibín says he and Paul Lawless will be joining the technical group that includes Independent Ireland’s four TDs and Independent Paul Gogarty.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 22, 2025
He says the offer came around midday today @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/liKoLJ963t
Tóibín told reporters that TDs have a right to speak on behalf of their constituents and should have speaking rights in the Dáil.
He said they are resigning from one group and joining another, stating that he has been in talks the Independent Ireland TDs in the last 24 hours. He said as soon as there was an opportunity to join another group, they took it.
Criticism was levelled at the other Opposition parties who criticised Aóntú, with Tóibín stating that they did not offer his party speaking time as a solution.
The Meath TD said the Standing Orders of the Dáil must be changed to give each TD equal rights in terms of speaking rights.
Toibín says he hopes Aontú’s withdrawal from the RIG has “broken the impasse”.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 22, 2025
@thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/y3QsdMFyks
It is not the first twist in today’s event.
There has been pushback from opposition parties to allow members of the Independent Regional Group, who agreed to support the the Government, to be given speaking rights that belong to the Opposition’s time.
Dail rules state that a number of TDs can come together to get similar speaking rights and Dail time to those afforded to political parties.
Seven TDs from the Independent Regional Group negotiated with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to agree a Programme for Government and to back the Government throughout its lifetime.
Some of those TDs – Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole – want to join Danny Healy-Rae, Independent TD Carol Nolan and Aontu’s Peadar Toibin and Paul Lawless to form the technical group.
The Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, allowed the move for now, but chaotic scenes in the Dáil ensued as TDs clashed over the decision.
Michael Lowry says there’s a compromise on the table that would see the issue of the Regional Independent Group’s speaking time addressed at the Dáil Reform Committee tomorrow.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) January 22, 2025
One problem is the committee can only be constituted once the government is set up. pic.twitter.com/aSsPsdMKN6
Stalemate remains as the party whips, with the Dáíl clerk try, still meeting in an attempt to find a resoltion.
Independent TD Michael Lowry, who helped agree the new Programme for Government, has spoken to reporters at the plinth at Leinster House.
He is among the TDs seeking opposition speaking rights as part of a technical group, despite his role in government formation.
Lowry told reporters: “What has happened today is absolutely shameful. It’s disgraceful.”
The Tipperary North TD accused Sinn Féin in particular of deciding to “disrupt the proceedings today”.
He said most parties and Independents have agreed that the speaking rights issue should be referred to the Oireachtas Reform Committee tomorrow, in a bid to get back on track today and elect a Taoiseach. However, the issue that remains is that for that committee to be reconstituted, a new government must be formed.
Lowry said he hopes “common sense will prevail”.
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