A local TD has accused the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil Verona Murphy of “obviously playing for the government”, after new speaking time rules were passed in the chamber today by 93 votes to 74.
The Ceann Comhairle skipped over planned Dáil Business earlier on today to move straight to the vote, which will see controversial changes to speaking time rules enacted.
The vote followed raucous scenes in the chamber, with deputies on the opposition benches chanting “shame” at the government following the vote.
The new measures will grant a new grouping of TDs from the Regional Independents group a status as neither government nor opposition, but “others”. This grouping would be allocated time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to put questions to the Taoiseach.
Opposition groups assert that that time has traditionally been theirs.
In the chamber today, TD for North Tipperary and North-West Kilkenny Michael Lowry, who has been instrumental in negotiating the government’s plan, was seen making a two-fingered gesture at Solidarity-PBP TD Paul Murphy.
Deputy Lowry insists he did not intend to give an offensive gesture, but to beckon Deputy Murphy towards him.
Carlow Kilkenny TD Natasha Newsome Drennan criticised the Ceann comhairle’s actions.
“She wasn’t listening to anybody, she’s obviously playing for the government” she told KCLR News, “you know, she’s on their side and that was quite obvious today, no one believes that the technical group will hold the government to account, and when people need to look at who they voted for, this is the joke that’s been voted for, it’s laughable.”
Meanwhile Fianna Fail TD for Carlow Kilkenny and Leas Ceann Comhairle John McGuinness said that he understood what the opposition were trying to do, but that finding agreement had been difficult.
“I understand clearly what they’re trying to achieve”, he said, “but what we need to achieve in the Dáil is ensuring that the opposition plays a full role and are given the opportunity to do so, and it’s proving extremely difficult to achieve that balance, because of the government’s position, which is completely opposite to the position taken by the opposition.”
