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Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett speaking to RTÉ Screengrab via RTÉ

Ceann Comhairle: 'Parliament has to be independent of Government'

The leader of the Dáil was speaking after a week in which he surprised many, including the government, by allowing members of the Reform Alliance and former Labour parliamentary party TDs speaking time during Dáil debates.

CEANN COMHAIRLE SEÁN Barrett has said that granting limited speaking rights to TDs who have been expelled from their parliamentary party was about “upholding a principle that all TDs have a right to speak in the parliament”.

The leader of the Dáil was speaking to RTÉ’s The Week in Politics after a week in which he surprised many, including the government, by allowing members of the Reform Alliance and former Labour parliamentary party TDs speaking time during Dáil debates.

Explaining his decision, Barrett told the programme: “There’s a growing number of people who are not aligned to political parties now in the Dáil and I found it necessary to make certain that we needed a structure where they would have their rights to speak.”

The Committee on Procedures and Privileges (CPP) now meets this Wednesday to consider whether the expelled TDs can join the Technical Group to gain further speaking time and committee membership.

Barrett told RTÉ that he would like the CPP to be consulted more often, saying: “Parliament has to be independent of Government.”

Dáil Standing Orders currently prevent TDs who have been expelled from their parliamentary parties from joining the Technical Group.

But as TheJournal.ie reported on Saturday, the government is now of the view that if a TD mounts a legal challenge to a refusal to allow them membership of the Technical Group they would be able to join it.

However the group’s whip Catherine Murphy said such an arrangement involving over two dozen independent TDs would be difficult to manage this with the “slim-pickings” already afford to the Technical Group in terms of staff and resources.

In any case several expelled TDs including members of the Reform Alliance of ex-Fine Gael parliamentary party members have indicated they would not be interested in joining the group.

Read: Can expelled TDs join the Dáil Technical Group? Here’s why it’s ‘as clear as mud’

Read: Reform Alliance members want appointments to Oireachtas committees

More: ‘Exiled’ party members granted speaking rights in Dáil

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19 Comments
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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
    Favourite Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:41 PM

    #COYGIG!! Fantastic evening for soccer in Ireland.

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    Mute Richard Ford
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:42 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Really great win.

    173
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    Mute Setanta O'Toole
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    Jul 16th 2024, 9:31 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: you are right, amazing performance. You kind of wonder why they couldnt pull it out for the other games though. Still it will give them great confidence going to the playoffs.

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    Mute S Suilleabhain
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    Jul 16th 2024, 11:56 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: its a shame you’re not very consistent AND you think FG have overseen some massive recovery in Ireland that they havent

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    Mute Injustice Cop
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    Jul 17th 2024, 10:08 AM

    @S Suilleabhain: What has that got to do with his COYGIG comment and this article? Was a comment of his deleted from this page?

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    Mute Stanley Marsh
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    Jul 17th 2024, 10:23 AM

    @Setanta O’Toole: For the same reason probably that the Ireland’s men’s team would be lucky to win any match if they were in the same group as the 2nd, 3rd and 6th raned teams in the world i.e. France, Belguim and Portugal.

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    Mute S Suilleabhain
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    Jul 17th 2024, 9:00 PM

    @Injustice Cop: he was odious to me & nasty and is routinely. I’ll say what I like and dont regard him as anything like a decent Irishman

    strange username you have there, ironic.

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    Mute Paul A Kane
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:44 PM

    Well done indeed ladies .

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    Mute john kenny
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    Jul 16th 2024, 8:54 PM

    Brilliant result. Really attacked today and that goal v England gave them the emputis to push on in this game. Super venue also.

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    Mute Shelley Keary
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    Jul 16th 2024, 9:09 PM

    Brilliant! Well done everyone – delighted for you all

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    Mute Dermot Blaine
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    Jul 16th 2024, 9:37 PM

    Great result for Mna na hEireann

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    Mute hans vos
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    Jul 16th 2024, 10:11 PM

    To be fair. This was a great win against a top women’s team. Maybe now they realise that they are better then they think and give them a boost for the next time. Well done ladies.

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    Mute did you every wonder
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    Jul 17th 2024, 7:52 AM

    Well done, great to see them finally getting a well-deserved win. Hope sign of things to come for them.

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    Mute Sun Rise
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    Jul 17th 2024, 2:37 AM

    @ S Suilleabhain: You are pathetic. On an article concerning a great victory for our Women’s National Team you somehow have to bring completely unrelated politics into. How does it feel to have failed so miserable in life? There ar3 people all around you, from every part of the country have successfully made a decent life for themselves under the same circumstances you had to live under. You are a bitter failure. The soo wrong you take responsibility for your life the sooner things will improve for you. As long as you bitterly whinge and moan you will always be a miserable failure. Wise up.

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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    Jul 17th 2024, 6:39 AM

    Coolaboola

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Jul 17th 2024, 1:16 PM

    Great performance. I’m having a piece of humble pie for lunch!

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