Three new technical groups to form for new Dáil term

Independents4Change to align with Thomas Pringle and Catherine Connolly

Independents4Change is made up of Clare Daly and Mick Wallace (above), with Tommy Broughan and Joan Collins. It will align with Donegal TD Thomas Pringle and Galway West TD Catherine Connolly. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons.

Independents4Change is made up of Clare Daly and Mick Wallace (above), with Tommy Broughan and Joan Collins. It will align with Donegal TD Thomas Pringle and Galway West TD Catherine Connolly. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons.

 

At least three new technical groups will be formed for the Dáil term.

A group of rural TDs will band together, while the Social Democrats and the Green Party are likely to form their own grouping.

Independents4Change, made up of Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Tommy Broughan and Joan Collins, will align with Donegal TD Thomas Pringle and Galway West TD Catherine Connolly.

Under the Dáil reform measures, a technical group must have five members to secure speaking time.

Resources will be offered to each of the groupings but it is not known what that will amount to.

The rural grouping will be made up of Clare TD Michael Harty, Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath, Kerry TDs Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Healy-Rae, Cork South-West TD Michael Collins and Galway West TD Noel Grealish.