‘Unfair’ to blame Ceann Comhairle for controversial Dáil changes, Taoiseach says

By Cillian Sherlock and Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

It is “unfair” to blame the Ceann Comhairle for a vote to controversial Dáil changes last week, the Taoiseach has said.

The Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy, faces a confidence motion on Tuesday over her handling of a vote that cut opposition speaking rights.

The main opposition parties tabled an unprecedented motion of no confidence in Ms Murphy after Government proposals for rule changes sparked a bitter row and chaotic scenes in the Dáil, the lower house of the Oireachtas.

Ms Murphy will be backed by the Government on Tuesday afternoon in a confidence motion it is bringing instead of the opposition wording.

Speaking before the vote, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he hoped that the Dáil could move on afterwards and focus on “more substantive issues”, such as the threat of US tariffs, the housing crisis and disability issues.

“I think it’s very, very unfair to lay the blame on what happened last week upon Verona Murphy, the Ceann Comhairle, because the clerk of the Dail has made it clear that all procedures were followed [in] his impartial and objective assessment,” he said before Cabinet on Tuesday.

“The disruption was caused in the main by the opposition and at that part of the Dáil, it was caused by the Sinn Féin party, in particular, drowning and shouting and barracking, trying to prevent proceedings from getting under way.

“It’s a bit rich then to come along and blame the Ceann Comhairle, having created all that disruption.

“But I think there’s an obligation to focus on getting back to work in of getting committees established, getting legislation considered by committees and other issues.”

He said efforts to halt Dáil business by interruptions and disruptions was “a fundamental undermining of democracy”.

“That shouldn’t be tolerated in any shape or form. It’s not justified,” Mr Martin said, but added that they were “willing to engage” with the opposition parties on establishing committees.

However, there is some uncertainty as to whether the vote will settle a long-running dispute on opposition speaking rights, which has seen breaks in parliamentary norms of procedure and decorum.

Ms Murphy became the Ceann Comhairle in December in a move seen as among the first steps of an agreement with a group of Independent TDs to the formation of a Government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

Backlash to that coalition’s proposals – which would have allowed some of those Independent TDs to be directly given opposition speaking time – led to a delay in the nomination of a Taoiseach in January.

The Government has since moved to change parliamentary rules to create a new “other ” speaking slot for TDs in that independent bloc who were not given ministerial positions, as well as backbenchers in the Government parties.

The controversial changes to standing orders also include a reduction of time for contributions on debating the order of business and a halving of slots for Taoiseach’s Questions.

The Government said the moves reflect the changing make-up of the Dáil.

However, the opposition has vehemently opposed the reforms, characterising them as an attempt to dilute their ability to hold the Government to and to blur the relationship of the independents who have ed the formation of the coalition.

They argue that the “other ” questions slot does not tally with their position that a TD cannot be in Government and opposition at the same time.

The row has hindered legislative work and has prevented parliamentary committees from being established.

Opposition parties have further argued that the process in which the changes were approved was itself flawed.

It comes amid a dispute on whether Ms Murphy carried out her duties correctly and followed proper procedures in carrying out the vote to implement the changes, which were backed by the Government’s majority.

During a lengthy standoff ahead of the vote, Ms Murphy said the actions of opposition TDs were “an absolute disgrace” and they were making a “holy show of” themselves.

There was widespread disruption from the opposition benches as the motion was brought forward and the Dáil was ultimately adjourned for the remainder of the day after the vote was approved by the Ceann Comhairle amid further objections.

Opposition parties chanted “shame, shame, shame” as Government TDs filed out of the chamber.

At the same time, Michael Lowry – a key figure in the independent grouping that ed Government formation and put Ms Murphy forward for Ceann Comhairle – was filmed sticking up two fingers to People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy while still in the chamber.

Mr Lowry, a former Fine Gael minister that was previously found by a tribunal to have behaved in a manner that was “profoundly corrupt”, later described his move as an “errant gesture under provocation”.

The leader of the largest opposition party, Sinn Féin, said Ms Murphy’s stewardship of the vote was “demonstrably partisan”.

Mary Lou McDonald: “You can’t be a fair, independent chair of the Dail if you throw out the rule book to force through whatever Fianna Fail/Fine Gael wants.”

She added: “All of this goes back to their grubby deal with Michael Lowry.

“He might give two fingers to the Irish people but we’re not going to let his Ceann Chomhairle do the same. We’re voting no confidence.”

Ms Murphy has “categorically” rejected accusations of “partiality and collusion” and said she “fully” intends to continue in her role.

The Government has backed the Ceann Comhairle while criticising the opposition tactics.