Live BlogLAST UPDATE | 24 mins ago
TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has formally resigned as Taoiseach ahead of the first sitting of the new Dáil.
Following last month’s general election, the first order of business for TDs will be the vote for a Ceann Comhairle who will chair meetings and business in parliament for the coming years.
But there’s some doubt about who will emerge from the secret ballot to take the position.
Outgoing Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl is seeking re-election, but he’s competing against fellow Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness, while their party and Fine Gael have both said they will back neither – instead the outgoing government TDs have been urged to back Independent TD Verona Murphy for the role.
Veteran Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh is the other who has put his name forward.
You can follow along here this morning for updates.
Reporting now: Jane Matthews. Earlier: Eoghan Dalton.
And that’s that! The ballots are now cast for Ceann Comhairle and will be counted in the Seanad from 12.15pm.
The Dáil will then return at 3.30pm.
Who do you think it will be, or better still who do you think it should be? Let us know in the comments.
While that vote is ongoing, here is a report from my colleage Mairead Maguire.
Mairead reports in detail how Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne has questioned his party’s decision to back Verona Murphy ahead of the vote to elect the next Ceann Comhairle.
Byrne made his view clear at yesterday’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting.
Speaking to reporters on the plinth this morning, Byrne took issue with Murphy’s ability to be impartial.
“I’ve been firmly of the view that the role of Ceann Comhairle is there to represent members,” he said.
“They must be fair and impartial and balanced, and I have raised the concern, not just of councillors from County Wexford in Fianna Fáil and other parties, but indeed members more generally, around previous remarks.
“It has to be remembered, Verona Murphy on the floor of the Dáil named a number of councillors in various parties and criticised them. It didn’t allow them the right to respond.”
Malcolm Byrne last night voiced opposition to FF’s support for Verona Murphy to be the next Ceann Comhairle. He says she’s previously abused Dáil privilege, which calls into question her impartiality @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/B8NpTah0lD
— Mairead Maguire (@maireadmaguire_) December 18, 2024
You can read the report in full here.
Last but not least, Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South Central Aengus Ó Snodaigh speaking now.
He opens his speech in Irish, as Gaeilge, and speaks of the importance of having a Ceann Comhairle who speaks Irish.
“The first official language of our State is Irish,” he says, adding that the Ceann Comhairle should be competent in the language.
He speaks of the importance of the Ceann Comhairle being impartial and the importance of all TDs in the Dáil having and showing respect for each other.
“We might not always agree and we can be bosterous in this chamber, but there is no need to be hurtful or downright hateful,” he says.
Ó Snodaigh says he has reached across the aisle seeking votes for this position and concludes by telling TDs that he is capable of “upholding the primacy” of Dáil Éireann.
And that’s that, it is voting time.
They are now going to ring the bells for six minutes and then proceed to the secret ballot.
Outgoing Ceann Comhairle and Fianna Fáil TD Seán Ó Fearghaíl up next.
He says he always intended to stand down after two terms as Ceann but in the final days of the Dáil people began to approach him about standing again to provide “continuity”.
“After careful reflection I decided to put myself forward. I’m wondering today if that was a good idea at all,” he laughs.
Ó Fearghaíl talks about the imporantance of protecting the reforms that were made to the Ceann Comhairle role over the coming years.
“It is within our power to address the critical issues of the day,” he says, referencing housing, health and the incoming Trump administration.
“And to address collectively on behalf of our people the murderous regimes of Putin, Netanyahu and other dictators,” he adds.
Like Murphy, Ó Fearghaíl also speaks about the low turnout in the last election and says politicians must act to address this.
He compliments the three other candidates and says he has the “height of respect” for each of them.
In conclusion, Ó Fearghaíl says together TDs can work to make Dáil Éireann “the best possible version of itself”.
Independent TD for Wexford Verona Murphy, who has the backing of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leadership for the Ceann Comhairle position, says that the Dáil chamber is “the life blood of democracy”.
She talks of the importance of the Dáil functioning smoothly and says every member of the Dáil has a mandate, with no one mandate more important that the other.
She says she will adhere to this principle if elected Ceann Comhairle.
Murphy also makes reference to the low turnout in the general election and says it is incumbent on all TDs to make sure Dáil Éireann is an inclusive place that voices the views of the people.
“If you chose to elect me as the first female Ceann Comhairle in the State it will signify a diverse and inclusive step forward for Dáil Éireann,” she concludes.
Also got a joke in about an unnamed Kerry TD’s phone ringing.
McGuinness, former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, tells the Dáil: “I know there are two sets of opinions here”.
He says he disagrees with the view that party leaders can decide who becomes Ceann Comhairle.
He’s talking about times Dáil committees and their member TDs worked together to achieve positive outcomes, he explicitly mentions Maurice McCabe and the Grace case.
“I’m asking you as individuals of this parliament to consider the nominees before you today and to protect the interests of this house, the interests of democracy,” he says.
He concludes that trust is needed in politics and this position should reflect that.
He receives a round of applause from those in the chamber. Verona Murphy up next.
The clerk of the Dáil has just announced that it is secret ballot time.
TDs will now vote on who will be next Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil.
Each candidate will first be allowed speak on their own behalf. They have five minutes each.
Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness is up first.
Hello! Jane Matthews here taking the over the liveblog for the next while.
Proceedings are well underway in the Dáil chamber now with the clerk reading out the names of each of the newly elected 174 TDs.
That’s 14 additional TDs to the last Dáil and it is a tight squeeze in the chamber, with extra seats having to be added.
Our Political Editor Christina Finn is in the press gallery.
She just informed us a few minutes ago that the first mobile phone ring of the new Dáil went off… Six minutes in.
And no, it wasn’t Danny Healy Rae. For once.
I’m told a second phone has rang in the chamber in the last minute or two. Stick it on silent lads!
One of the new batch of TDs is Labour’s Ciarán Ahern, and here’s the deputy for Dublin South-West with his wife, human rights lawyer Maeve O’Rourke and their family.
Also from Christina, who says it’s notable that new TD Eoin Hayes who was embroiled in controversy last week and was suspended from the Social Democrats is sitting in Independent seats on his own, far removed from the party.
Political editor Christina Finn here. The bells are ringing in Leinster House and all the old and new TDs are taking to there seats in the Dail chamber. It is very loud with the chatter and excitement, a very first day back at school vibe.
Danger here for Simon Harris and Micheál Martin’s plans for Wexford Independent Verona Murphy to get the ceann comhairle job.
Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne has strongly criticised Murphy, saying she needs to be “fair and impartial” in the role, and pointing to her past criticism of the party’s councillors.
Malcolm Byrne last night voiced opposition to FF’s support for Verona Murphy to be the next Ceann Comhairle. He says she’s previously abused Dáil privilege, which calls into question her impartiality @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/B8NpTah0lD
— Mairead Maguire (@maireadmaguire_) December 18, 2024
A brief statement has just landed from Áras an Uachtaráin:
“The Taoiseach this morning visited the President at Áras an Uachtaráin and proffered his resignation in accordance with Article 28.9.1° of the Constitution.”
We know who the larger parties are backing to become the next ceann comhairle but what about the rest?
Independent Ireland’s four TDs are set to support Seán Ó Fearghaíl in his re-election bid.
Our political correspondent Jane Matthews reports that their rationale is that the Fianna Fáil TD was a “good referee” and “very helpful and accommodating” when the party was set up during the last Dáil.
Party founder Michael Collins has therefore asked his fellow TDs to support Ó Fearghaíl.
Wexford Independent Verona Murphy is almost guaranteed to receive support from her fellow Independent members of the Dáil’s Regional Group. This includes Sean Canney, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, Noel Grealish, Michael Lowry, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran and Gillian Toole.
With Murphy also receiving the support of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leadership, she is the favourite to take the position.
Neither the Social Democrats or Labour are directing their TDs to vote for any candidate, meaning they’re free to support whomever they see fit.
Also in the running for ceann comhairle are Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness and Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Snodaigh.
The 34th Dáil will see the largest intake of TDs in history. There will be 174 TDs, 14 more than the last term.
Fianna Fáil have 48 TDs this term – that’s ten extra on the last term – Sinn Féin have 39 (+2) and Fine Gael have 38 (+3).
Social Democrats and Labour both have 11 TDs – an increase of five each.
People Before Profit-Solidarity have seen their representation halved from six TDs to three, while Aontú have doubled their representation from one TD to two.
Out of all parties, the Greens suffered the worst results and they have gone from 12 TDs to just one lone member.
Smaller parties such as the Donegal-based 100% Redress and south Tipperary’s Workers and Unemployed Action Group have one TD apiece. As regards Independents, they are down from 19 TDs to 15. However, the party called Independent Ireland now have four TDs.
Back at the Áras, Simon Harris has left the building and is now on his way to the Dáil.
President Michael D Higgins is seen here giving him a cheerful wave goodbye.
The new Dáil will be met by protesters who are demonstrating over the war in Gaza, with roads closed in the area.
The protesters are looking for the Occupied Territories Bill to be enacted immediately by the new Dáil.
Ríonach Ní Néill from Apartheid free Arts tells @thejournal_ie that the group of protesters here today for the first sitting of the 34th Dáil want the Occupied Territories Bill enacted now. pic.twitter.com/KFkYjY9ZfZ
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) December 18, 2024
Our reporter Andrew Walsh is at Áras an Uachtaráin where he notes that there was “no messing around” from Simon Harris, who hurried into the meeting with the president to formally resign from the Taoiseach’s office.
Before we get to the Dáil, outgoing Taoiseach Simon Harris will formally resign at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Harris is expected to meet President Michael D Higgins in the next hour to confirm he is stepping down from the role.
Normally, we would see a vote take place on the same day to elect a new Taoiseach – but this looks unlikely today as government formation talks are still ongoing.
The leadership of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have both asked their TDs to vote for Independent Wexford TD Verona Murphy as ceann comhairle as part of a deal with the Regional Independents group to form a government.
But some Fianna Fáil TDs, – in particular outgoing ceann comhairle Sean Ó Fearghaíl – are publicly unhappy that the position has been used as a “bargaining chip” in government formation talks.
Our political correspondent Jane Matthews has been looking at the ins and outs of the talks this morning.
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