The attempt to elect a new Taoiseach turned into a sorry affair on Wedneday, with lengthy delays of proceedings in the Dáil and then a suspension until Thursday. A major row erupted – entirely predictably – about the proposed presence of a number of Independent TDs who had been involved in negotiating the programme for government in a technical group which would sit on the Opposition benches.
That Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had supported this arrangement shows a worrying disconnect from common sense. If there was an unwritten understanding reached during the negotiations on the new programme on this issue – and it is not clear whether there was – it would be even more concerning.
The two parties have sought to argue that there is precedent for the proposed arrangement for Michael Lowry and others to support the government and speak from the Opposition benches. There may be some truth in this. But the question surely is not whether there is a precedent, it is whether this is defensible on its own terms.
And the answer to that is clear: it is not.
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TDs cannot be in a position where they negotiated the programme, boast that many of their policies were taken on board, and then sit on the Opposition benches, taking up Dáil time which is allocated to hold the government to account.
Opposition outrage was undoubtedly performative and at times over-the-top. It was disproportionate to halt the proceedings completely on the day when a new taoiseach was due to be elected. However, it is also true that the incoming government blundered into this with its eyes open. This was the consequence of an arrogance that it would do well to discard.
Meanwhile, the shortcomings of appointing people to positions for political reasons were underlined. While the appointment of Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle helped build confidence between the two main parties due to form the core of the next government and the Regional Independent Group, Wednesday’s events cast serious doubt on the wisdom of this choice.
More seriously, a full-scale political crisis is threatened if a way is not found out of this impasse. And quickly. More than two months after the general election was held, a new government needs to be formed. A sense of proportion on all sides should allow this to happen.
The whole affair has all the signs of dealings done in the Leinster House bubble, without any thought on what the public would think. It is a poor start for a new government which – assuming it finds a way to get itself elected – will be seen to have made a shambolic start. A way needs to be found to move forward and reflect the view of voters in the general election. The most obvious route would see the proposed technical group disbanded.
