Opposition parties back in Dail

Opposition groups will return to the Dáil next week after boycotting the chamber for two sitting days because of a row over charges levelled against a former justice minister.

Fine Gael, Labour and Green parties walked out yesterday after the Government refused to formally censure independent member of the Dail Tom Gildea for making allegations about Nora Owen.

Mr Gildea claimed Ms Owen had received ‘‘financial remuneration’’ from a TV cable company.

Ms Owen hotly-denied the charge and protested strongly over what had been said.

Mr Gildea, who won a place in the Dail at the last general election on an issue centring on the rights of his constituents to receive British TV programmes, later withdrew his remarks and apologised.

But the opposition groupings demanded a formal censure of the politician, insisting Mr Gildea had ‘‘thrown mud under privilege’’.

And they left the chamber when that request was turned down.

The Government was maintaining its stand against a censuring Mr Gildea tonight, but the opposition parties tabled a censure motion of their own and said they would be back in the Dail for a debate on the affair when the house meets again on Tuesday.