Election of new taoiseach and government proves impossible as Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy forced to suspend the House repeatedly
Election of new taoiseach and government proves impossible as Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspends the House repeatedly
Opposition fury over four Independent TDs supporting the Government getting opposition speaking time by joining a technical group resulted in three suspensions before the adjournment of the House until Thursday. She called the speaking arrangements “a cynical and unprecedented ruse by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to place their independent cronies, supporters of the Government, on the opposition benches”.Labour’s Duncan Smith calls on the Ceann Comhairle “to state on the record of the Dáil that this is a temporary arrangement, just for today”. He adds that unlike what the Tánaiste says, “the public is angry about this”.
Amid loud interventions and multiple voices talking, Sinn Féin whip Pádraig MacLochlainn claims the Government “designed this situation today” and could resolve it by giving the Independents Government speaking time. Several TDs, including Socials Democrats’ Jennifer Whitmore and Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould, attempt to make a point of order.
When the Ceann Comhairle says “we now move to the next business, which is nomination of taoiseach” there are cheers from the Government benches, but calls of “there has to be fairness” and renewed demands for the legal advice to be published. Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly says “we cannot have a vote now”.After a suspension of more than an hour the Ceann Comhairle calls on the Government chief whip to speak.
Dail-Eireann Verona-Murphy Micheal-Martin Mary-Lou-Mcdonald Fianna-Fail Fine-Gael Labour-Party Social-Democrats
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