A row over Dáil speaking rights for four TDs who negotiated the Programme for Government has been temporarily resolved, but will have to be reignited later this month. The TDs, Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole and Danny Healy-Rae, were initially denied speaking rights by the Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy. However, after a meeting of the Dáil Reform Committee, the Government TDs conceded, allowing the TDs to participate in debates. The issue is expected to be revisited in two to three weeks when the committee meets again to discuss potential changes to Dáil rules.
The Dáil speaking row has been temporarily resolved but will have to be reignited later this month as four TDs who negotiated the Programme for Government have been left without any Dáil speaking rights.
It means that Mr Lowry, Mr Heneghan, Ms Toole and Mr Healy-Rae currently have no speaking time. Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan, who were also in their technical group, will also be affected. He said: "That's not just for this Dáil, but also there shouldn't be a hindrance to other independents in the future who might wish to be supportive of a government."He said the group would "do our best to ensure the country has a stable Government" and that "like every other time, there are TDs on the independent benches who will vote case by case."
Mr Heneghan told reporters that while he welcomed the Ceann Comhairle’s decision, he was "fed up with the endless political dance over speaking time in the Dáil.""People are in here doing a dance for political whatever. It's a joke." Deputy Kelly called on Mr Martin and Mr Harris to explain why they "lost so much political capital" over the row.One Government TD said they were unhappy with how Verona Murphy had handled this situation and that they believed the opposition had "walked all over her."
DÁIL SPEAKING RIGHTS GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT INDEPENDENT Tds
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