The Daily Star Ireland
Political parties and groups are set to submit proposals this Wednesday to amend Dáil speaking time regulations. This initiative follows a contentious dispute involving Regional Independent TDs who support the Government but sought the right to speak from the opposition benches.
Efforts are currently underway to revamp the existing system, which may result in increased speaking time for Government TDs. The Regional Independent Group maintains its stance that it should have access to Leaders’ Questions. The group’s TDs assert that this matter remains unresolved, especially after Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy’s decision that Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole, and Danny Healy-Rae could not establish a Dáil Technical Group.
A discussion on this sensitive issue is scheduled for the Dáil Reform Committee on February 26. Government Chief Whip Mary Butler has committed to collaborating with all parties to devise a solution to this problem, which previously delayed the Dáil’s nomination of Micheál Martin as Taoiseach last month.
In a related matter, it’s uncertain whether the Taoiseach will retract his recent Dáil statement accusing Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald of “telling lies again.” Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, in a letter sent Thursday evening, requested that he review his remarks but did not explicitly ask for their withdrawal.
Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell highlighted on the “Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin” program that Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy had previously labeled Micheál Martin a liar in the Dáil without retracting the comment. Reports indicate that over the past decade, there have been 11 instances where allegations of dishonesty among politicians were not removed from the records of either the Dáil or Seanad.
