Frantic efforts were under way on Wednesday night to defuse the standoff between the incoming government and the opposition at Leinster House and avoid a second day of uproar and rancour on the floor of the Dáil.
Talks between the Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy, and the parties continued late on Wednesday night after the expected election of Micheál Martin as taoiseach and the naming of a new cabinet were derailed amid scenes of loud and acrimonious disorder.
The Dáil is due to sit again at 9am on Thursday morning.
The row exploded when the Dáil met on Wednesday morning and centres on the plan by Independent TDs who support the government but who do not hold ministerial roles to designate themselves as part of an opposition group of deputies – and therefore avail of opposition speaking time.
Chaos in the Dáil - as it happened: McDonald accuses Government of ‘incredible arrogance’ as Opposition says it will not back down over speaking demands
Frantic efforts to avoid second day of Dáil disorder
How it happened: Unprecedented and chaotic scenes in the Dáil
Verona Murphy’s turbulent first day: ‘She should have got the metre stick out’
It led to fierce objections by the opposition parties, who repeatedly shouted down the Ceann Comhairle and refused to allow votes to proceed, preventing the election of a new taoiseach. The Dáil was suspended four times on what is normally a gala day at Leinster House.
Afterwards, Mr Martin condemned what he said was a “a subversion of the Irish Constitution”.
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Late on Wednesday night, however, there were some signs of progress on a potential agreement. An opposition source said that a “process had been put in place to try and resolve this”, understood to involve the establishment of a new Dáil reform committee that would consider the issue.
But a sticking point could be whether the government uses its majority on any committee to push through its position.
Opposition figures were briefed that Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy was “open” to considering the points and proposals put forward by Opposition leaders, and that she would bring those points to Simon Harris and Micheál Martin.
“The hope is for a resolution by the morning,” said the source.
Sinn Féin said it was “currently working on a solution with the Ceann Comhairle”.
Under a proposed amendment to Dáil standing orders being circulated among the opposition on Wednesday night, TDs who support a programme for government can not be in opposition technical groups. It is not yet clear if this is supported by government.
It is also understood there will be a meeting of party leaders on Thursday morning before the Dáil meets.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris is understood to have finalised his cabinet picks, while doubt remains over some of the Fianna Fáil appointments.
Paschal Donohoe is to go to the Department of Finance, Helen McEntee to the Department of Education, Peter Burke will remain in Enterprise – likely to be the only cabinet minister who does not move department – and Patrick O’Donovan will move to the Department of Arts, Sport and Media, which is also to have the Communications brief added to its responsibilities.
Chaos in Leinster House: how the day unfolded and what happens next
There will be two new Fine Gael cabinet ministers: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill in the Department of Health and Martin Heydon in the Department of Agriculture. Hildegarde Naughton will be the party’s super junior minister at cabinet.
The Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, was said by party sources to be still keeping his cards close to his chest, though it is considered certain that Jack Chambers will move to the Department of Public Expenditure and highly likely that Jim O’Callaghan will be promoted to the cabinet to take the Justice portfolio and that Darragh O’Brien will move to the Department of Environment and Climate Change and will also take responsibility for Transport.
Norma Foley, Mary Butler and James Browne are also considered very likely to be included, though there was no certainty about their portfolios, while the remaining cabinet and chief whip slots are likely to be a competition between James Lawless, Dara Calleary and Charlie McConalogue.
It is not clear, however, if the Dáil will get to approve the new government on Thursday.
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