LAST UPDATE | 31 Jan

THE ROW OVER speaking time for Michael Lowry and the Regional Independents will rumble into next week, with no deal reached today after a mammoth meeting.

The failure to reach an agreement today risks a repeat of the chaotic scenes seen in the Dáil last week.

The leaders of Sinn Féin, Labour, Independent Ireland, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit have written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris this evening to say their proposal to end the row is “entirely unacceptable”.

An informal meeting of the Dáil’s reform committee was held today after a virtual meeting of the committee ended in stalemate last night. 

Today’s meeting also ended without agreement, with Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins telling the media afterwards that the situation is now a “crisis”.

It is a crisis that we’re in… Deputy Lowry seems to have some severe power over this government.

“He can call whatever shots he wants, the way he wants.” - Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins tells the media.

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— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 31, 2025

The opposition are now calling on Micheál Martin and Simon Harris to agree to meet with party leaders in an effort to reach an agreement before the Dáil returns on Wednesday.

Chair of the Dáil reform committee, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy this afternoon attempted to mediate between the opposition side and the government and Michael Lowry, who himself is on the Dáil reform committee.

In a statement, Murphy said it is “regrettable that no consensus or agreement could be reached today”.

She said she is committed to “exhausting every possible avenue”.

The committee has agreed to reconvene on Tuesday, 4 February at midday.

Government chief whip Mary Butler has been leading the talks on the government’s side.

The government’s proposal, which has not been accepted by the opposition, would see Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole and Danny Healy-Rae recognised as “an informal technical grouping of unaligned members” of the Dáil rather than opposition or government TDs.

The proposal also sets out that standing orders shall be amended to allocate additional time for Leaders’ Questions and Priority Questions for this group, adding that this measure will see no reduction in the allocation of time to any party or group.

“Totally unacceptable.”

Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan has called on the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to “cut all ties” with Michael Lowry.

The SocDems are also of the view that it is time for the party leaders to get back around the table.

⁦@thejournal_ie⁩ pic.twitter.com/ikXqoScbyU

— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 31, 2025

Speaking in Cork earlier today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the issue is more “nuanced” and “complex” than people are suggesting. He said that he was hopeful an agreement would be reached by the committee today.

Speaking to media after the committee meeting ended today, Sinn Féin whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said it is “very clear that the government are determined that Michael Lowry will have Leaders’ Questions… and be treated like a member of the opposition.”

He continued: “Michael Lowry stood on this with seven independent TDs, four of them are now ministers, and he said, ‘We will support this government, on the good days and the bad’ and the government are now trying to tell us and the Irish people that actually he isn’t a government supporter, [that] he’s unaligned.”

He said it is “deeply frustrating” that progress now seems to be regressing.

“We’re actually going backwards. And for some reason, Micheál Martin and Simon Harris are standing by their man, standing by Michael Lowery in defiance of common sense and logic.”

Asked what will happen next week if an agreement is not reached, Mac Lochlainn said he hopes a solution is found before then.

“We’re not thinking at that point right now. But we rule nothing out. We can’t rule anything out. I mean, you have to respect the opposition,” he said.

Ahead of the meeting this morning, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy warned that the opposition are willing to “protest robustly” next week if no agreement is reached.

The Dáil reform committee is meeting again today to try and end the row over speaking rights for the Regional Independents.

After no progress yesterday, Paul Murphy says if it is the same today then the opposition will have no choice but to “protest robustly” next week.
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— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 31, 2025

Asked what this would involve, Murphy said there has not be a discussion yet but that the opposition remain united in their position. 

Murphy said the proposal put forward by the government yesterday creates a “fudge” and is “not in tune” with what was provisionally agreed the week before. 

Murphy said today that the proposal is a direct contradiction to what was agreed last week. 

“To be clear from the opposition side, there is not some attempt to deny Michael Lowry and his group the right to speak. They absolutely should have the right to speak in the Dáil. We have said we’re willing to amend standing orders to say that they can be recognised as a technical group within government,” Murphy said. 

In a statement this evening, a spokesperson for Government Chief Whip Mary Butler accused the opposition of holding the Dáil to ransom and said the government parties have entered negotiations in good faith.

The spokesperson said the government is “disappointed” that the opposition chose to dismiss the government’s proposal.

“Our Dáil must be able to function, and we cannot have a repeat of the scenes in the chamber last week, and no individuals should be able to hold the Dáil to ransom.

“The Government is focused on an orderly meeting of the Dáil next week, to address the aftermath of Storm Éowyn and the business that the public expect all of our elected representatives to do,” the spokesperson said.

The Journal has requested comment from Michael Lowry.