The Labour Party has signalled it could take legal action to stop independent TDs who support the incoming government from availing of opposition speaking time in the Dáil by forming a technical group.
The party says it has prepared a draft submission for the Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy which is based on its own legal advice and which contradicts the advice obtained by Ms Murphy – under which she proposed to allow the controversial move by Independent TDs to proceed.
Ms Murphy wrote to TDs who are members of the Dáil business committee on Friday night and said there was “long standing precedent” that allows Independent TDs who have agreed to support the Government and are not ministers get speaking time and sit on Opposition benches.
Ms Murphy said she received the advice from the Houses of the Oireachtas Service. She added that to exclude an Independent TD who is not a senior or junior minister from a technical group would require an amendment to standing orders, which are dealt with by the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform.
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But now the Labour Party says that it has sourced new legal advice which “confirms that we have clear legal grounds to object to any attempt to create a purported entitlement of Government supporters to eat into Dáil time that is allocated to the Opposition.
“We have circulated our draft submission to other Opposition parties for their views, and believe that a joint submission from Opposition parties would be appropriate,” the party said.
Sinn Féin has also said it is considering legal advice, amid indications that the Opposition will come together to oppose the planned move.
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