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MARY LOU MCDONALD has rejected claims by the leader of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that Sinn Féin and other opposition parties coordinated together today to disrupt the election of Micheál Martin as Taoiseach.
Martin described today’s chaotic scenes in the Dáil as the “subversion of the Irish Constitution” as incoming Tánaiste Simon Harris described today’s events as “utterly farcical”.
The Dáil met at 11am this morning and was supposed to be voting on a new Taoiseach, but the chamber was adjourned following a chaotic and ongoing row over speaking time in the opposition.
Members of the opposition argued that the Regional Independent Group should not be sitting alongside them or taking their speaking time as four members of the pack of TDs had negotiated the programme for government.
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspended the Dáil twice as opposition TDs protested the decision that allowed them to stay.
After returning at 4pm, Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton attempted to continue proceedings as planned and begin nominations for Taoiseach. The move was met with even more protests, and shouts that the decision was a “disgrace”.
No new Taoiseach was elected after the Dáil was adjourned until tomorrow morning. Martin told reporters outside Government Buildings in Dublin that it was the obligation of the Dáil to elect a Taoiseach and a government.
He claimed the opposition, and namely Sinn Féin, had blocked the vote in a “premeditated, coordinated and choreographed” move.
It’s fair to say Simon Harris and Micheal Martin are not happy. pic.twitter.com/6k3Xy0Xbjg
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) January 22, 2025
“There was numerous attempts to facilitate agreement. At various times, people thought agreements had been arrived at, and it became very clear to us that there was no intention ever to reach agreement on the nomination of a Taoiseach or a Government.
This is the first time, I think, in over 100 years, that the Dáil has failed to elect a government, to fulfill its constitutional obligation.
Martin said “any other issues pale in significance” in comparison to that “fundamental obligation”.
Harris, the Fine Gael leader, said there was a clear majority of the people’s representatives “ready and willing” to elect the next government.
“Instead, what we saw was an effort to obstruct, an effort to shout down, an effort to disrespect the Ceann Comhairle and her constitutional office, and ultimately preventing a majority of the democratically elected representatives of Dáil Éireann to discharge their duty and their mandate to elect a Taoiseach.”
Harris was strongly critical of the Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who was among the opposition TDs in the Dáil to oppose members of the Regional Independents being given opposition speaking rights.
He claimed that McDonald was the only party leader who spoke in the Dáil today and did so with “one purpose” – to block the nomination of the Taoiseach – adding that the public would “see through this”.
“What happened today was stunt politics on speed, led my Mary Lou McDonald.”
He acknowledged that other party leaders had also protested over the speaking time row, not just the leader of the opposition, after being challenged on the point by journalists.
He said that a Dáil reform committee was due to meet tomorrow to begin resolving the issue. When asked if it would be easier for the regional independent TDs to enter government as backbenchers, he told media that it was “not the issue”.
“Micheál Martin and Simon Harris have no role in deciding what the Ceann Comhairle’s directions are in relation to technical groups. None whatsoever. That is a ruling of the Ceann Comhairle,” Harris said.
He said that it was up to Murphy to make a decision on who is permitted to start technical groupings to qualify for speaking time and that she had made it “very clear” that he issues would be resolved in the new committee.
Naughton also claimed that there had been meetings with the party whips today and an agreement was made to pass a motion this evening to establish the new committee. She said, however, that “all bets were off” once the Dáil resumed.
A very different version of events was recalled by opposition leaders outside Leinster House this evening.
Speaking to reporters, People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd Barrett, Labour’s Ivana Bacik, Social Democrats’ Cian O’Callaghan, Independent Ireland’s Michael Collins and Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald all outright rejected claims that an agreement had been made.
According to the group, it was their understanding that the Dáil would be adjourned this evening and that all party leaders would take place so that a resolution would be found.
McDonald wholly rejected the claim that she wanted to disrupt Dáil proceedings today. She said, however, that the opposition will continue to “stand firm” in their position.
“This mess was created by the government,” she told reporters, adding that the incoming coalition had been aware of the disagreement for at least a week.
She said it was imperative to the Irish democratic process to protest a move that allowed those who supported the incoming coalition and negotiated the programme for government to sit in the opposition benches.
This point was echoed by all party leaders this evening in Dublin. Collins said that it was their duty, in the interest of those who elected the TDs, that there is a “very clear opposition” in the Dáil.
“We have not refused the regionals the right to speak from within government time,” Collins said. “The government that they want to support, and it’s their choice.”
“But unfortunately, they [the Regional Independent Group] want their bread buttered on both sides – and that can’t work. Democracy has to stand here.”
Micheál Martin also said that Verona Murphy was “treated in an appalling manner”.
“I think the Ceann Comhairle was bullied from the outset. I think there were comments made that should never have been made, by Deputy Matt Carthy in particular.”
He also said he believed there was “attempted intimidation” and an effort “to hold the government to ransom”.
“It’s an extraordinary situation that someone can attempt to rationalise the idea that you don’t vote on the nomination of the Taoiseach. That you deny a legitimate democratic, parliamentary process of voting,” Martin continued.
“This has never happened in the history of the State before. By all means, have your disagreements, but this is very fundamental, as far as I’m concerned, and I’m in Dáil Éireann since 1989. I’ve never witnessed this. There is no excuse for it. No justification for it.”
Asked if he accepted the opposition having concerns about having to share their speaking time with government backbenchers, Harris said there were proposals put forward today to try and address issues in relation to speaking time going forward.
“The people who got elected as TDs for Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and independents also have a mandate in Dáil Eireann,” he said.
“It was crystal clear to everyone when they got out of the bed this morning that there was a majority of the people’s representatives, who have mandates as well, who wanted to elect a taoiseach and a government today to discharge their constitutional duties.
“And Dáil Éireann has ended today without that opportunity being allowed because of these shenanigans.”
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I wonder who’ll be liable to pay the penalties if they don’t keep budgets balanced. I’m guessing it won’t be deducted from their own salaries anyway!
Certainly recommend this. It be a step in the right direction.
I agree MC. However if councils are required by statute to balance their books, why not national governments?
Cannot understand why they don’t balance their budgets as it is . Surely they have to account for every cent spent ? The figures they produce I assume are given to the government to be part of their budgeted figures . So if the government accept non budgeted figures how can they get the total economy’s figures correct ?
The mind boggles !
The degree of intrusion into how we run our country is staggering. Humiliating. And 21% of you would vote the party that invited this on us back into power.
Didn’t FG and indeed SF also ‘invite’ them in by voting in favor of the bank guarantee? They’re all as bad as each other in reality, and once they get into power all doubt about that is removed.
Ah Vincent stop,isn’t Enda fawning with happiness everytime he announces with exceeded Troika targets.FG are continuing FF’s policies no difference,just two very regressive budgets(the poorest pays most each time)
@mart- why did a bank guarantee arise, again?
@norman- the more targets hit, the greater the prospect of a return to the market, the faster we bid the Troika farewell….
Vincent even as you say if we return to the markets,we will only bid farewell to 1/3 of the Troika.The Fiscal Treaty FG coerced the country into accepting has made the other 2/3 ‘s a permanant feature here.
The Councils also need to provide justification and value for money on spending. They budget published by Kildare CC shows a spend of some €750,000 for parks cleaning and refuse collection….The largest park to me is around 10-20 acres, has about 5 bins which are always overflowing and never seem to be collected. If this is characteristic of all towns in the county how in the name can they be spending the money?
Great idea on paper, but its going to cost more to merge than the savings will generate.
Another FG/Labour spend a million to save 50,000
Funny how in the last few days with some degree of entry back to the market, possible sale of government interest in aib , a good Christmas for the domestic economy the troika decide to speak out . Confidence seemed to be lifting slightly. The eu presidency and kenny in my opinion seeming to perform well in Europe we get kicked back into our box. The economist prints an editorial recommeding help for ireland. we meet the vast majority of targets set for us. We dont do a greece and have debt write off and second bailout.Then Just in case you think of asking for a deal on bank debt remember you are still bad boys and girls…time will pass and eventually we will get out of this but we need to never forget this …remember we held a grudge and contempt for the Brits for 800 years time to swap the contempt
Looks like a deal on bank debt is off the cards.
@ciaran- and you extrapolated that from….?
The European Commission in principal recommending our councils to balance their books is not unreasonable ,we do owe the troika a lot of money.but if a european policy of fines is created as a result of the councils inability to reform their services then we should be very worried and at all costs easiest this.this would be the equivalent of a money lender calling to your door and saying he wants two grand next week because HE didn’t come get his 500 last week,does that make sense,Europe must understand that the Irish as citizens cannot be expected to pay huge daily fines because of the incompetence of our leaders,in Ireland we have no control of services like councils or hospitals or transport because our leaders ,or management have their positions cemented in place with a system of no responsibility which has been created under the watchful eye of Europe.the European Commission has failed the Irish people in allowing our very intelligent population be gradually disenfranchised by a long established fraternity of characters that would make George Orwells pigs look good.( maybe that’s harsh ,but those pigs were organized!!) So Europe ,if the services that we pay for don’t deliver in terms of value for money ,then the councils will be fined alright,but they’ll be fined by us the people or not at all.
Resist it not easiest it ,damn you technology!
Yes master ! Lets tip our hats to the European gentry.
Altho i dont like the way the troika are poking their nose in almost everything in every article on journal today
I do agree with them on this we should be running balanced budgets at council level its just a shame it takes a boom and bust and a a bailout for the country to be spoon fed basics like this why could t this be all done 2000-2008
I wonder if they are telling the Commission that they are increasing the number of Councillors in Dublin by 50…..
have your say