Taoiseach says opposition behaviour was 'a new low' after Dáil chaos
Michael Lowry appeared to direct a two-fingered gesture at People Before Profit's Paul Murphy
The Dáil has been plunged into chaos with heckling and interruptions after a controversial vote on changes to speaking time.
Micheál Martin has issued a strong statement criticising the scenes in the Dáíl as "a new low in the behaviour of the opposition."
He said that his attempts were "constantly and systematically interrupted and shouted down."
He said: "It was nothing less than a premeditated attempt to suppress the rights of others to speak, and to bully and intimidate the Ceann Comhairle.
"The prolonged barracking, and the disgraceful lack of respect for the mandates of elected deputies was shocking in its intensity."
He added: "There are many serious and profound issues to be debated and legislated for in the Dáil in the weeks ahead, such as protecting our economy and jobs, building homes and improving disability services, notwithstanding the global challenges.
"My government is focused on getting on with that important work."
Opposition leaders do not have confidence in the Ceann Comhairle but stopped short of stating that a no confidence motion will be brought forward.
"I do not think anyone could have confidence in what we witnessed today," said Mary Lou McDonald.
"There is no doubt that she has done significant damage to her standing and to the independence of the office itself," she added.
The view was echoed by the other opposition leaders including the Green Party's Roderic O'Gorman who joined the combined Opposition on the plinth for the first time on Tuesday evening.
Solidarity-People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett reiterated his accusation that Verona Murphy engaged with the Government and orchestrated the afternoon's events.
"What happened today looked in every single way orchestrated. It happened too quickly. It was too organised," said Mr Boyd Barrett.
Sinn Féin leader Ms McDonald dismissed comments by Ms Murphy that there was an element of misogyny in the Opposition's actions in the chamber.
"I reject that, this was a straight out issue between Government and Opposition," she said.
The leaders said their response to Ms Murphy's actions in the Dáil chamber today is something they will continue to discuss over the coming hours but did not rule out a vote of no confidence.
The gesture made by Michael Lowry of the Regional Independent Group towards TD Paul Murphy became the symbolic image of the Government's attitude, according to the Opposition.
"I think the image that we are seeing of two fingers from Deputy Lowry really sums up the approach that has been taken on this," said Social Democrats acting leader Cian O'Callaghan.
"I don't think when people voted for Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael in the election that they voted for any of these sorts of deals with Michael Lowry or voted for the kind of scenes we saw today."
When the Dáil resumes on Wednesday morning, the combined Opposition has said that everything remains on the table in terms of whether or not they will allow normal Dáil procedures to carry on.
"We are not simply just going to acquiesce with all of this, you can be sure of that," said Ms McDonald.
Opposition TDs behaved like a “mob” and attempted to intimidate people in the Dáil chamber, Fianna Fáil has said.
A number of Fianna Fáil TDs criticised opposition politicians over chaotic scenes in the Dáil, with party whip Paul McAuliffe saying that they had bullied Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy.
“Certainly the conduct was completely unprecedented,” Mr McAuliffe said.
The Fianna Fáil TD said that the Government wants to “move forward” and deal with national and international issues, as well as establish Dáil committees.
“Yet the opposition seem determined to press on with this conduct that happened today,” he said.
“We believe that we need to move on. There’s a clear attempt here to undermine the government and especially to try and undermine the majority that was chosen by the representatives of the people of Ireland.” Dublin South-West TD, John Lahart, said that opposition TDs had been “akin to a mob” during the disruption in the Dáil chamber.
“There were people intimidated, there was chanting in the chamber and there was rank bullying of some members went on in Dáil Éireann,” Mr Lahart said.
“Anything else pales into insignificance in that context.” Pressed on Michael Lowry’s two-fingered gesture to People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy, Naoise Ó Cearúil said that he would not be standing up for the Tipperary TD.
“That pales into insignificance to how the opposition conducted themselves today. It is absolutely scandalous.
Mr Ó Cearúil said that Ms Murphy, as well as the Clerk of the Dáil and Dáil staff, had been bullied by the opposition.
He described the behaviour of the opposition as “behaviour unbecoming of Dáil Éireann.
Mr McAuliffe said that it was a matter for Mr Lowry and that no Fianna Fáil TDs would put their two fingers up to anybody.
Several opposition TDs have now privately expressed a lack of confidence in Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy.
When asked if a no confidence motion in Ms Murphy should now be put on the table, one senior Sinn Féin TD said:
"I’d say it’s exactly the time.
"That was the most outrageous act on the part of a Ceann Comhairle in the history of the Dáil."
One Labour TD, when asked if they had confidence in Ms Murphy, said: "Hard to have any after that."
People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett has publicly called for Ms Murphy to face a no confidence motion, during an appearance on RTÉ's Drivetime.
It now raises the question of a motion of no confidence in the Ceann Comhairle over her handling of the chaotic scenes in the Dáil.
Opposition leaders are now meeting to discuss next steps, before they are due to address reporters on the Leinster House plinth. Fianna Fáil TDs are also set to address the media shortly.
Tipperary TD Michael Lowry appeared to direct a two-fingered gesture at People Before Profit's Paul Murphy as the Dáil was suspended for the day.
As TDs left the chamber following Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy's decision to suspend the house for the day, Mr Murphy began filming on his phone, turning towards Mr Lowry and fellow independent Barry Heneghan.
While Mr Heneghan waved to Mr Murphy, Mr Lowry appeared to make a gesture before a Leinster House usher came down the stairs to ask Mr Murphy to stop filming, which is against the Dáil rules. Mr Lowry could then be seen raising the issue with an usher.
Mr Murphy posted the video on his social media before adding a screengrab of Mr Lowry's gesture with the words "the day's events summed up".
The Dáil was suspended amid cries of "shame" by opposition TDs following a vote to amend standing orders which will, in part, create a new speaking slot for government backbenchers and independents including Mr Lowry, Mr Heneghan and fellow independent Gillian Toole. This slot was at the heart of much of the day's argument, with Sinn Féin TDs asking Taoiseach Micheál Martin "what Mr Lowry has on him" and saying that Mr Lowry was "pulling the Taoiseach's strings".
A total of 94 TDs voted in favour of the changes, with 74 voting against.
However, Ms Murphy announced that the vote had been "obstructed" as appointed tellers from the opposition side had refused to take part in the telling process of the vote.
She then announced that the vote had passed.
The Ceann Comhairle has now adjourned the Dáil until tomorrow.
A highly contentious Government motion to change speaking time rights has passed through the Dáil.
A total of 94 TDs voted in favour of the changes, with 74 voting against.
However, Ms Murphy announced that the vote had been "obstructed" as appointed tellers from the opposition side had refused to take part in the telling process of the vote.
She then announced that the vote had passed.
Ahead of the vote the Ceann Comhairle could barely be heard as she pressed for the ballot on the Government's amendments to standing orders. A large number of opposition TDs remained on their feet shouting and pointing towards Ms Murphy.
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy confirms that a typical piece of Dáil business, Questions on Policy and Legislation, will not take place today following the disorder.
While this was happening, there were yet more interruptions from the opposition benches.
We’re moving directly to a vote on proposed changes to the Dáil’s standing orders, with the opposition’s proposed changes due to take place first.
TDs are now waiting to vote on the first proposal.
The Opposition has been told, "you are making an absolute holy show of yourselves," by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, which has sparked applause from some members on the Government benches.
There has been chaos in the Dáil after Opposition parties had earlier stated their intention to disrupt the chamber's business unless there is a last-minute offer from the Government to engage with them to solve the speaking rights row.
"Misogyny is what was mentioned earlier," the Ceann Comhairle said as Sinn Féin TDs Pearse Doherty and Padraig MacLochlainn refused to sit down. A number of other members of the opposition have also got to their feet.
"It is very clear you have no respect for the chair."
Ms Murphy said she would remain standing until every member resumed their seats and was moving on from Leaders' Questions.
This prompted a greater number of TDs to stand up as he Ceann Comhairle moved to the Order of Business.
Ms Murphy announced that the Order of Business has been agreed to and has adjourned the House.
The Ceann Comhairle has got to her feet to again call for respect as heckles from across the opposition benches continue.
"It is very apparent now that nobody is interested in hearing answers," Verona Murphy said.
"Afford the respect to at least have the answer listened to."
Mr Martin has suggested that the opposition doesn't want the spat to end as they are "enjoying it too much".
The Taoiseach has said blocking the changes could impact the formation of governments into the future as Independents would feel penalised for supporting a coalition.
"Governments have to be formed, some people have no interest in that, others do," he said.
Mr O'Callaghan has agreed with the Taoiseach, who described the controversy as "extraordinary".
"Taoiseach, you are right, this is quite extraordinary. In more than 100 years of this of this Dáil, Taoiseach, never, ever in the weekly Dáil schedule, has a time slot been created where 100% of the time is allocated to the Government," he said.
Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins said his party agrees that Michael Lowry and others should be given speaking rights but not on opposition time.
He said a "railroading of democracy" is now going ahead and has asked the Taoiseach to "come clean on the deal" with Independents.
He said that just two meetings of the Dáil's reform committee have been held since the row broke out and suggested that if the Government chief whip was serious about resolving the issue, discussions would have been held every day.
But Mr Martin said that there has been lengthy discussion between the chief whip and the Opposition on the matter.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik has said that at a time when the world is facing many threats, the Government is insisting on pushing through an amendment to "placate the Lowry lobby".
She pointed to the "genocidal bombardment of children in Gaza", the threat of tariff from the US, the ongoing war in Ukraine as well as the "grim new milestones around global warming" that should be prioritised by the Government and not the speaking time debacle.
Mr Martin claimed that "the level of change here is so minuscule".
He said that 60 TDs, both from the Independent ranks and the Government backbenches, would get one opportunity per year to ask questions of the Taoiseach under the changes, and yet "you are all up on high doh".
But Ms Bacik said the Taoiseach was trying to make the argument out to be about speaking time for backbenchers when "everyone in the country knows" that it centres around the "Lowry gang".
Cian O'Callaghan of the Social Democrats said the Taoiseach's efforts to defend the indefensible are "not working".
Asking the Taoiseach to "come clean" on what exactly was in the deal with Mr Lowry and his fellow Independents, he said: "Your own backbenchers are aware that you wouldn't be going to these extremes for them".
Mr O'Callaghan added: "This is a shameless political stroke that would make even Bertie blush."
The Taoiseach has been accused of being "hellbent on upending the democratic functioning of the Dáil" to protect a "grubby deal" with Michael Lowry.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has described changes to speaking time proposed by the Government as "unprecedented" which "make a mockery" of the Dáil.
"You propose to turn the Dáil inside out by allowing Government TDs access to the mechanism which the actual opposition use to hold your Government to account," she told the Dáil.
Her comments come as the Dáil prepares to vote on changes that would facilitate the group of regional Independents by providing speaking time to them during critical debates and the Leaders' Questions slot.
"Accountability matters," Ms McDonald said, adding: "You don't want to be accountable."
She said that the opposition as a whole has repeatedly asked to meet with the Taoiseach in a bid to resolve the ongoing row, however, this has been ignored. She again called for a meeting ahead of the vote.
Responding, Micheál Martin said the opposition has been "disproportionate" in its response and has "raised this to heights that have been quite farcical".
Amid sustained heckling and interruptions, Mr Martin accused the opposition of trying to "dictate a new departure" where it is "up to them to decide who sits where in this House...that is unprecedented by any yardstick".
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has been forced to intervene, calling for respect for the chair.
"We are either going to continue with Leaders' Questions, or we move on. You may not like the answers you are getting. I can't instruct answers," she has told opposition TDs.
