Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has told Opposition party leaders it has “become clear” that there will be no consensus on the ongoing dispute over Dáil speaking rights.
Ms Murphy said she cannot intervene in the process of changing Dáil standing orders and it will be up to TDs to determine what, if any, amendments should be made to the speaking rules.
The Opposition has been united against the Government’s proposals for resolving the long-running speaking rights row
The dispute centres on Government efforts to carve out specific speaking time for a small group of Independent TDs led by Michael Lowry who support the Coalition.
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Ms Murphy outlined her position in a letter to Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, Ivana Bacik of Labour, acting Social Democrats leader Cian O’Callaghan, Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit and Michael Collins of Independent Ireland on Wednesday in advance of a meeting of the Dáil Reform Committee.
A crunch meeting of the committee to discuss the new standing orders that have been proposed by Government chief whip Mary Butler was being held on Wednesday evening.
Ms Butler has suggested creating a new time slot in the Dáil each week - called Other Members’ Questions - which would allow groups who are not in opposition to ask one question to the Taoiseach on two sitting days each week.
However, the new slot would result in Taoiseach’s Questions – which allows TDs to ask the Taoiseach specific questions about his department – being reduced from twice to once a week.
The Opposition leaders wrote to Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Wednesday seeking an urgent meeting with him and Tánaiste Simon Harris.
In a short letter, the leaders said they consider it “not acceptable” that the Government seems intent on moving ahead with a proposal to create the new speaking slot.
“There was agreement that any changes to Standing Orders would be done in agreement with the Opposition,” they wrote, in reference to a commitment from the Government to fully engage with the committee and to work towards a solution that was acceptable to all sides.
Ms Murphy separately wrote to the Opposition leaders outlining her view that there will not be consensus on the issue.
She referred to a letter sent to her by the Opposition leaders which said “we expect you to ensure that Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions remain opportunities explicitly and solely for Opposition TDs.”
Ms Murphy wrote: “Such an expectation is not possible and is in fact misconceived.
“I am obliged as Ceann Comhairle to merely implement and administer the rules as they stand, no more and no less. To do otherwise would involve my office in political controversy which I will not, and cannot, allow myself to be drawn into.
“The amendment of Standing Orders is a matter for the Dáil, not the office of Ceann Comhairle. I do not have the authority to intervene in this process, as it is a matter for the House itself.
“Nor do I have the authority to disallow the taking of any vote.
“Regrettably, it has become clear that consensus is not in prospect on this issue.”
She said: “It is now for the members of Dáil Éireann to determine what, if any, amendments should be made to Standing Orders in accordance with normal parliamentary procedures.”
In response, the Opposition leaders wrote back to reiterate their “strong view that as Ceann Comhairle you have a key role to play in ensuring that the democratic procedures of the Oireachtas are properly fulfilled.”
In the Dáil earlier, the Ceann Comhairle told the Taoiseach to “stop behaving like a child” after Mr Martin continued to speak when she had told him that his time was up.
There were repeated interruptions from both Government and Opposition benches during a heated Order of Business and Ms Murphy said it was like a “playground”.
She took issue with the Taoiseach during his exchanges with Labour TD Alan Kelly. The Tipperary TD had asked Mr Martin about recruits to the Garda college in Templemore not being vetted.
“They are being trained, it has cost a significant amount of money, they have access to all facilities, access to guns, armoury and to a lot of information and they are not vetted,” Mr Kelly said.
Mr Martin said “everyone else wants us to get more gardaí as quickly as we possibly can, get them trained and get them out on the street to increase policing”.
He added that he would raise the issue with Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
Mr Kelly asked if he believed there should be vetting as the Ceann Comhairle called the next speaker, Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney.
The Taoiseach responded that “my honest view is that vetting is important but it’s overstated”.
There were continued exchanges between the Taoiseach and Mr Kelly as Ms Murphy again called on Ms Gibney.
The Ceann Comhairle asked Mr Kelly “to have respect for his colleague whose time he is taking up” before asking the Taoiseach “to stop behaving like a child please.”
Government TDs objected, as did Mr Martin, who said he had not been interrupting.
“What we seem to have this morning is a playground, so I’d ask everybody to conform and have respect for the members whose time you’re taking up,” Ms Murphy said.
