Michael Lowry

Political wounds may take some time to heal in 34th Dáil after acrimonious 24 hours

Chaotic scenes in the chamber unfold around coalition of Tweedledum, Tweedledee and Tweedledeal

Surprise that Murphy, a robust contributor who rarely took a backwards step in her days as an Independent TD, did not nip Dáil conflict in the bud

Inside Politics podcast with Hugh Linehan

The solemnity of the occasion contrasts with the unseemly manner in which ithas been assembled

Micheál Martin stands over his criticism of Michael Lowry when the Moriarty tribunal’s report was published in 2011, and said what was revealed by the tribunal was ‘shocking’

Plus: Defence Forces spending on Pilates sounds like a bit of a stretch, Michael McGrath discusses European master plan in Cork and Independent TDs take us back to the past

Oireachtas has said it is a matter for Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, who said legal advice allows for Regional Independent Group members to also ask questions from Opposition benches

Verona Murphy said that there is precedent for any non-party member who is not a minister or minister of State, and has agreed to support government to get speaking time

It is not clear why it took the gardaí 14 years to complete their file arising from the 2011 Moriarty report, but the passage of time raises the question of the fairness of now bringing charges against anyone

The Healy-Rae brothers refer to working in government, even if Danny wants to be able to bark questions at that government as if still sitting on the opposition benches

The bulk of the six-week negotiations happened between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, but the Regional Independent Group played a vital role in forming the new government

In the independent TD’s Thurles political heartland some say they don’t believe the findings against him, others feel he made forgivable mistakes that are now in the past, and some subscribe to both theories at once

Inside Politics podcast with Hugh Linehan

Arrangements underpinning the support of Independents seem to be based on constructive ambiguity

How can our new government claim to be an international referee of political integrity when it has shamelessly thrown away its moral compass?

Backlash after Michael Lowry proposes that he and other Independents supporting next Coalition sit on Opposition benches

Full text of new programme to be made available today in advance of meetings of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parliamentary parties

Across the different parties and groups, more than 20 negotiators have been working hard to hammer out a deal

Dáil vote in 2011 called on Tipperary TD to voluntarily resign but he refused, later telling The Irish Times he would not be run out of politics by ‘the media’