Harris says he ‘absolutely didn’t’ promise Dáil speaking time to Lowry

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Simon Harris has said he “absolutely didn’t” promise Dáil speaking time to Michael Lowry or other independents during government formation.

The Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader said that an offer to guarantee independents more time in the chamber was not made as part of government formation talks.

The Dáil has been convulsed in a row over changing speaking time slots, which began when Government-affiliated independent TDs sought to be deemed as opposition to gain high-profile opportunities to speak in the Dáil.

The dispute has escalated to a no confidence motion in the Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, after the opposition questioned her handling of their protest against the Government pushing through its changes.

These changes create a new slot for independent TDs and Government backbenchers to raise questions in the Dáil.

The opposition has asked why the Government has fought for additional speaking time for Mr Lowry, a controversial former Fine Gael minister, who led the Regional Independents group in government formation talks.

Asked whether he, or any member of Fine Gael, gave Mr Lowry or other independents a commitment that they would get more speaking time in the Dail, or more high-profile opportunities to speak in the Dáil if they supported the government, Mr Harris said: “No, we didn’t.”

“We absolutely didn’t,” Mr Harris said on Friday.

“We negotiated with the independent group, the regional independent group, on the programme for government, and I was there in leaders-level conversations in relation to that.

“In fact, the conversations that we had during speaking time, if you remember, took place with the leaders of the opposition.”

Mr Harris, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the Government and opposition would need to “pull together” ahead of US tariffs on EU goods expected to be announced next Wednesday.

He said that the Dáil speaking time row had become “farcical”.

“The behaviour in the Dáil (in the) last week, if you saw it from your children, you would have been disappointed,” Mr Harris said.

“Grown men and women shouting and roaring at the Ceann Comhairle at a time when we’re about to face serious economic shocks.

“All sense of proportionality has been lost in relation to this.

“Claims about anti-democracy and stuff just don’t add up to any scrutiny.

“In fact, it is the very essence of democracy that the people’s representatives vote in the parliament and that the outcome is respected.

“This idea of ‘If I don’t like how the vote in the Dáil goes, I take my ball and go home with it’, it’s a sort of immature politics that we really don’t need in Ireland right now.”

He said that he has “great respect” for the opposition and respect for many members of the opposition, but said there has to be “proportionality”.

Mr Harris added: “So yes, people have different views on who should speak and how long they should speak for, and that’s fine to have points of disagreement, but at some point you have to make a decision, and at some point a majority of members of Dáil Éireann have to vote on it, that’s what happened.

“I thought the scenes were really unbecoming, really unseemly, and I hope we can move on from this.”