Michael Lowry's actions in Dáil chamber 'tipping point' for Fianna Fáil TDs 

Some sources within the party have said that they have received representations from constituents over Mr Lowry’s actions, expressing their displeasure with their local TDs.

“I think we’re being damaged by it. That gesture in the Dáil was the tipping point,” one Fianna Fáil TD said.

Another TD said that they were “appalled” by Mr Lowry’s actions on Tuesday, saying that it only inflamed the tense scenes in the Dáil.

They added that the Tipperary TD should now come into the Dáil and make a formal apology for his actions.

While there was strong criticism of Mr Lowry, there was also a rebuke of People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy for videoing the Tipperary TD in the Dáil chamber.

“Both of them are wrong… There’s a level of manners and decorum that there should be in the Dáil,” one TD said.

Mr Lowry has said that he did not make the gesture with “malicious intent”, while he was being filmed by Mr Murphy.

In a statement, Mr Lowry said that he had made an “errant gesture under provocation”.

“Unfortunately, the gesture has been taken out of context. Unlike others, I have always respected the rules and values of the Dail,” Mr Lowry said.

“My gesture was not intended to be offensive or to cause offence, and I regret that it may have been seen in such a way.”

Meanwhile, one Fianna Fáil minister said that the proposals from the Government would not allow for TDs to have one-leg in the Government and another in the opposition.

“Everyone knows who the opposition is and that’s a fact. [Michael] Lowry is part of the Government and that’s that,” they said.

However, the minister did admit that they had received some “grief” from constituents over Mr Lowry’s actions.

While there has been some concerns within Fianna Fáil over Mr Lowry, some TDs are more frustrated with the opposition's disruption of the Dáil.

One backbencher described the incident involving Mr Lowry as a “sideshow” to the behaviour of opposition TDs.

Another Fianna Fáil TD said that opposition TDs were playing games over the rule changes.

“If it was such a big deal, they would have gone again today,” the TD said, referring to the Dáil disruption on Tuesday.

Another TD said that the chaos in the chamber has damaged the image of the Dáil, but that things must move on from the row.

Mr Lowry’s gesture remained a hot-button issue among the opposition during Leaders’ Questions on Wednesday.

Referring to Mr Lowry as "kingmaker of the coalition", Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Tipperary TD had given two fingers to the opposition, democracy, and the Irish people.

Ivana Bacik said that what Mr Lowry had done was "deeply, deeply disrespectful" and urged the Taoiseach to call on him to apologise.

The Labour leader expressed her view that the current "mess" is one of the Government's own making in collusion with Mr Lowry who she said is patently stitched into this Government.

Mr Lowry, who led government formation talks for the Regional Independent Group, was said to have been "laughing it up as [Micheál Martin] did his bidding", according to Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan.

Micheál Martin was also asked whether he had any qualms about doing business with a man who gave two fingers to the public and then "gaslit the population that he had not actually done this", by Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger.

Mr Martin acknowledged that Mr Lowry's action was inappropriate but also criticised Mr Murphy for filming the incident, which is against Dáil rules.

"Do you not remember what Deputy Paul Murphy did to your former leader, Joan Burton? Do you not remember that these are your new allies?" Mr Martin asked Ms Bacik, referring to an incident during a protest over water charges in 2015.

"What Deputy Murphy did yesterday, waving phones around, is unacceptable behaviour in this chamber," he said.