Combined Opposition leaders have accused the Coalition of giving “two fingers” to democracy by ramming through new speaking slots for Government-supporting Independents.
Leaders of all Opposition parties have claimed the standing of the Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has been significantly damaged on a day when the Dáil was suspended early after prolonged shouting, chaos and angry scenes.
In a show of unity, the leaders of all Opposition parties, representing 75 TDs, held a joint media conference on the plinth of Leinster House to claim the Government and the Ceann Comhairlehad worked in concert to push through changes in the standing orders that would give two eight-minute speaking slots to a new group of “other TDs”.
This group is made up of three Independents who support the Government led by Michael Lowry, two other Independent TDs, and Government backbench TDs.
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‘Shame, shame, shame’: Opposition leaders accuse Coalition of giving ‘two fingers’ to democracy in row over speaking rights
'You're making a holy show of yourselves': Murphy suspends Dáil
The leaders focused specifically on the role of the Ceann Comhairle, who they claimed sided with the Government during the session.
In turn, a group of Fianna Fáil TDs later accused Opposition TDs of bullying the Ceann Comhairle and Oireachtas officials in the chamber and acting “akin to a mob”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the scenes in the Dáil were “nothing less than a premeditated attempt to suppress the rights of others to speak”.
“The prolonged barracking, and the disgraceful lack of respect for the mandates of elected deputies was shocking in its intensity,” he said.
The Opposition leaders, for their part, were highly critical of Mr Lowry who they claimed had given People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy a “two finger” gesture when Mr Murphy began video recording him in the chamber.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Coalition had sought to undermine the demarcation between Government and Opposition.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said she was “particularly dismayed and disappointed” to see Ms Murphy push through the vote. “We are united in our really serious concern,” she said.
The two leaders were joined on the plinth by Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan; Michael Collins of Independent Ireland; Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit; and Roderic O’Gorman of the Green Party.
However, they stopped short, when asked if they would table a motion of no confidence in Ms Murphy. The leaders said they would discuss the matter later on Tuesday evening before deciding on what action they would take.
“I don’t think anybody could have confidence in what we witnessed today,” said Ms McDonald.
Mr O’Callaghan said that the actions of Ms Murphy had been “highly questionable”.
Mr Boyd Barrett said that it was clear to him that what had happened was “orchestrated”.
Mr Collins said that Mr Lowry had given “two fingers” not only to Mr Murphy but also to the people of Ireland.
Ms McDonald denied there was bullying of, or misogyny shown to, the Ceann Comhairle during the heated interjections. “Misogyny had nothing to do with whatever cute hoorism, and sleeveenism and chance your arm that went on,” she said.
Shortly after, a group of backbench TDs from Fianna Fáil addressed the media to accuse Opposition TDs of bullying the Ceann Comhairle and described the scenes in the Dáil as “disgraceful”. They also claimed that the Opposition was involved in a clear attempt to undermine the stability of the Government.
The party’s whip Paul McAuliffe and the former whip Cormac Devlin both asserted that during many hours of negotiations on this issue, the Opposition had refused to engage on any of the issues and it was clear to them they were not seeking a resolution.
John Lahart, a Deputy for Dublin South West, said that nothing could take away from the scenes that happened in the chamber. “It was akin to a mob. There were people intimidated. There was chanting in the chamber and there was rank bullying of some members. Anything else pales into insignificance in the context.”
Earlier, the Ceann Comhairle adjourned the Dáil until Wednesday morning after the chaos erupted when she declared the change to standing orders was carried in the electronic vote.
She did not call out the vote but on the screen it was 94 to 74. Opposition tellers refused to sign the paper confirming the vote but Ms Murphy declared it carried and moved to the next item, Taoiseach’s questions.
Mr Martin attempted to answer questions as Government backbenchers filed out of the chamber, but there was overwhelming noise from the Opposition and Ms Murphy adjourned proceedings for the day to persistent shouts of “shame, shame, shame”.
The Government spokesman praised the Ceann Comhairle for her handling of the Dáil exchanges, saying that she had “stood up well to difficult treatment”.
The spokesman declined to be drawn on a two-fingers gesture made by Independent TD Michael Lowry to the People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy while Mr Murphy was filming in the Dáil chamber. “That’s a matter for Michael Lowry,” he said.
Earlier, there were chaotic scenes, repeated interruptions, shouting and heckling as the expected row over speaking rights erupted from the outset of Leaders’ Questions.
The House was suspended in uproar after 50 minutes as Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy said the Order of Businessusiness was agreed as the noise in the chamber was deafening. But a vote has to be held on the proposed changes to speaking times.
Ms Murphy attempted to call a vote to change standing orders when all Opposition TDs stood, remonstrating over Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s stance on speaking rights and shouted across at the Government benches who sat in silence.
Independent TD Michael Lowry, at the centre of the controversy, was smiling and waving at the Opposition during the fracas.
Ms Murphy told TDs “you’re making an absolute show of yourselves” and told them it was “an absolute disgrace” and that they had “no respect for the chair”.
Initially, about 10 Sinn Féin, Independent Ireland and People Before Profit TDs were on their feet before the entire Opposition stood when the Ceann Comhairle, shouting to be heard, said the business had been agreed.
At the start of Leaders’ Questions Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Taosieach the combined Opposition would not back down in its opposition to the Government’s proposal.
She said “your word means nothing”, adding that the Taoiseach wanted Mr Lowry, “a rogue politician”, to “sit in both Government and Opposition at the same time”.
The Taoiseach said however that “the distortion of the debate is extraordinary” and disproportionate. He said the Dáil sits about 101 days a year, and “for 60 TDs we propose they would have eight minutes on a Tuesday and eight minutes on a Wednesday to ask questions”.
At one point the Ceann Comhairle referred to “misogyny” as she was repeatedly shouted over by Opposition TDs.
Ms Murphy said she had invested as much as 20 hours in the past month trying to come to a consensus and agreement.
But she said “we have reached an impasse” and on that basis they moved to the next step in a democracy which is the voting process.
