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THE OPPOSITION IS expected to disrupt Dáil proceedings tomorrow as part of a deepening row over speaking time.
Five opposition parties met today to agree a response to the government’s proposal to change speaking time arrangements in order to create a new slot for coalition backbenchers and government-affiliated independents.
The disruption is expected just after 2pm, during the Leaders’ Questions slot in the Dáil.
It is the latest development in the dispute over how speaking time in the Dáil is divvied up.
The row delayed Micheál Martin’s nomination as Taoiseach in January and has trundled on despite several inter-party meetings and the intervention of the Ceann Comhairle in favour of the opposition.
This led to a brief reprieve before the dispute was reignited after the government put forward a new proposal to change speaking time arrangements and suggested it would use its majority to push them through.
Opposition parties – Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, Independent Ireland and Solidarity-People Before Profit – are to protest that decision when the Dáil reconvenes tomorrow.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, who is a member of the Dáil reform committee, suggested this would be done by widespread disruption, as a walkout could allow the government to continue to pass legislation.
He said a compromise acceptable to everyone should be sought and a meeting between the opposition and the Taoiseach and Tánaiste tomorrow was needed.
Outlining criticisms of the “extremely contentious” government proposal, Murphy said it is due to be voted on tomorrow without a debate, halves the time available for opposing the Order of Business, and reduces the time for Taoiseach’s Questions every week from 90 to 45 minutes.
He added: “About 50 minutes of opposition time is being taken each week, between the cutting of objections to the Order of Business and the halving of Taoiseach’s Questions, and about 50 minutes is being given in opportunities for Leaders’ Questions to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and then an extra speaking time to the Lowry group.
“So there is a direct transfer and a direct undermining of the capacity of the opposition to hold the government to account, and that’s our job in the Dail.”
Minister of State Alan Dillon confirmed that the government is planning to use its majority in the Dáil to push through the new speaking time arrangements tomorrow.
He said: “We’re two months on where we’ve had hours of debate in the Oireachtas standing orders committee and we will come to a conclusion tomorrow when this is brought to a vote.
“This is about giving government backbenchers more speaking time, it’s about changes to the standing orders which are modest in nature but also recognise the evolving nature of the Dáil and certainly, as a former backbencher, I know how difficult it can be to get Dáil speaking time.”
He added: “This fiasco that the opposition are presenting has certainly had a huge impact in relation to our Dáil activities.”
The Taoiseach had phone calls with both Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Labour leader Ivana Bacik this evening.
Sinn Féin said McDonald’s phone call with Martin was “forthright and direct”, and she used the conversation to express her dissapointment at “the behaviour of the government”.
She told him that government politicians are “turning democracy on its head”, and that they have no interest in resolving the issue.
Earlier today, Education Minister Helen McEntee said that the government’s proposals would not affect opposition time and would instead create a new time slot for backbenchers and others.
She described a possible walkout over speaking time for backbenchers as “an affront to democracy”.
“Not a single second of time is going to be taken away from their speaking rights, from their ability to put down motions, to ask questions,” the Fine Gael deputy leader said on Today with Claire Byrne.
“What this is about is fairness. If you are a government TD you do not have the same speaking rights as if you are in opposition, I don’t see how that is logical.
“If you look at the UK, a member who is on the government side can ask the Prime Minister a question. It’s the norm, it happens in most other countries.”
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“Simply a good man” doesn’t that say it all? RIP
@WoodlandBard: Do you remember the Joke from the 1970’s?? “ what would you do on a Saturday night if the Late Late show went on fire”? (Ans) Watch Gay Byrne!!! It’s like he’s been around forever..Alas!! No more..Sleep well Gay.
I dont think anyone in Ireland can say he wasnt part of their childhood, I remember watching him when I was a young kid, sitting beside my nana, bored off my face, too young to have any interest in any of his guests. But every week guaranteed there I’d be sitting beside my nana, until that one night when the toy show would come on. It was always such an event in ours.
Thanks for the memories Sir RIP xxx
One of Ireland’s first social media influencers who brought society to our homes. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
The man was practically part of the family. RIP.
Is Ryan at the helm of this live tribute?? I hope not!!
@The digenous: R.I.P. Gay :-(
@The digenous: I’d say so. They’d be better of showing some clips of the man himself from over the years, instead it looks like we’re going to have a giant RTE love-in
@Conoroconnor: My thoughts exactly mate.The programme will be all about RTE heads and their tales about Gay.Pure Bull.Just show the best bits of HIS shows over the years.No one want to see a patronising Tubridy fuelling his ego.
@The digenous: Would make a great Reeling In The Years special.
@The digenous: If liveline today was anything to go by this will play out like you suspect.
@The digenous: the can call it GayPride
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