TDs ‘made life impossible’ for Ceann Comhairle, says Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the opposition has “made life impossible” for Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy.

Mr Martin said the clerk of the Dáil confirmed the disorder in the chamber was handled by Ms Murphy in line with the rules.

“By any objective assessment, they made life impossible for the ceann comhairle,” said Mr Martin.

“It beggars belief that Sinn Féin, in particular, who shouted and roared during Leaders’ Questions yesterday [Tuesday] in a clearly organised manner, and who refused point-blank to co-operate, are now accusing the ceann comhairle of bias and failing to follow procedures.

Procedures

“The clerk of the Dáil has confirmed proceedings were conducted in accordance with procedures,” he said.

“It was Sinn Féin who refused to move their own amendment to the standing orders. It was Sinn Féin who screamed and roared while the ceann comhairle called for a vote, rather than moving their own amendment,” he added.

“It was a deliberate strategy. They didn’t want to participate in proceedings at all. They didn’t want to facilitate a legitimate vote on new standing orders for this Dáil.

“It was undemocratic what Sinn Féin and other members of the opposition did. The Dáil cannot work on opposition by veto.

“Neither can we have a situation where the ceann comhairle only stays in office if it obeys the diktat of opposition. It is not how parliamentary democracy works.”

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Mr Martin accused Sinn Féin of pursuing a “destructive model of opposition” and trying to bring the “loudhailer politics of the street” into the Dáil.

He told Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald: “Your stated objective here is to undermine this institution, to undermine the Government, to reduce the Government majority, and to create mayhem. That is what you are about.”

Mr Martin said the opposition’s “intimidatory barracking” of newly-elected TDs marked a “new low” for behaviour in the Dáil.

Concern

He expressed concern that the Dáil “would never be the same again” after the scenes witnessed on Tuesday.

The Taoiseach also accused Labour leader Ivana Bacik of “parroting” Sinn Féin’s line.

“You’ve tied yourself to the hip of Sinn Féin, and you’ll regret it,” he said.

Mr Martin said he was aware of a lot of ordinary members of the Labour Party who were not happy that Ms Bacik had become an “appendage to the Sinn Féin party”.

Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan said it was essential that the ceann comhairle enjoyed the confidence of both Government and opposition.

“Clearly, this is no longer the case. I do think you need to reflect on that position,” he told the Dáil.

Meanwhile, People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger accused the Government of attempting to remove itself “more and more from being challenged”.

Regrettable

Earlier, Tánaiste Simon Harris said Tuesday’s disruption was “regrettable, unseemly, and unbecoming”.

The Fine Gael leader said the level of anger displayed by the opposition was “disproportionate” and did not “indicate a willingness to try and find a way forward here”.

“What has happened in the Dáil is really regrettable, really unbecoming, really unseemly, but we’ve got to move forward now, because I think the people who pay our wages, our bosses, the people of Ireland, want us to get on with it,” he said.