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No agreement on Lowry speaking rights row with talks to continue tomorrow

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan accused the government of “doubling down on stroke politics”.

LAST UPDATE | 30 Jan

THE DÁIL REFORM Committee will meet again tomorrow as the government and opposition are still at stalemate over proposals that would see Tipperary TD Michael Lowry sit on the Opposition benches. 

Today’s talks, which took place online, were “deeply dissapointing”, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said.

“At short notice, the government came forward with what is effectively the same proposal as they unsuccessfully tried to ram through two weeks ago.

“They made no attempt to discuss with opposition groups in advance to find a compromise.”

As it stands, a number of Regional Independents, who were part of government formation talks, but who did not get a government job, will get to ask questions of the Taoiseach as if they are in the Opposition.

Labour TD Duncan Smith said the failure to reach a resolution today is “deeply frustrating”.

The issue caused chaos in the Dáil and resulted in proceedings to elect a new Taoiseach and government being abandoned last week.

Murphy says the government wants a “dirty deal with Lowry” that would inhibit the opposition from holding them accountable.

Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said the deal is “ludicrous” and that the opposition will not stand for the government’s “charade”.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan accused rthe government of “doubling down on stroke politics”.

Over the last week, a number of committee meetings to resolve the issue, with those on the committee stating that Lowry indicated he wanted speaking time during Leaders’ Questions.

Today, Chief Whip Mary Butler brought forward the government’s proposed wording for the rule change, which would see the “recognition of unaligned members”.

It proposes that the four TDs – Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole and Danny Healy-Rae – shall be regarded as an “informal technical grouping of unaligned members”.

It also sets out that Standing Orders shall be amended to allocate additional time for Leaders’ Questions and Priority Questions for this group, adding that this measure will see no reduction in the allocation of time to any party or group.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald tweeted on X this afternoon:

“Another stroke being proposed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to allow Michael Lowry to sit on Opposition benches.

“You cannot be in government and opposition. This is an insulting response to what was agreed in the Dáil last week. Total arrogance on the back of their grubby deal. We won’t stand for it.”

The technical group, under the new rules, will be able to nominate a member to attend meetings of the Business Committee and the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One today, former government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton said she gave a commitment that a solution would be found that would be agreeable to both government and Opposition.

“This is about giving TDs who are elected by the people across the country a right to have a speaking time,” she said. 

During the week, Micheál Martin said that there was “no deal” made with Lowry over speaking time during government formation talks. 

With reporting by Jane Matthews

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