TDs in pact on speaking rights

Some 16 independent and left-leaning TDs have formed a pact to ensure speaking rights in the Dáil.

The technical group will be entitled to challenge the Taoiseach during Leaders’ Questions.

But Dublin independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan said each member of the group will be free to support or oppose the Government.

“It’s not a political group, so we don’t have to agree on policies,” Ms O’Sullivan said.

“What we’re doing simply is we’re using the system that is there so that it will make it fair to those of us who are independents and in the smaller political parties that we will have speaking time, that we will get priority questions, that we will be able to have private members’ time.”

The technical group include independents Finian McGrath, Maureen O’Sullivan, Thomas Pringle, Luke “Ming” Flanagan, Shane Ross, Stephen Donnelly, Mick Wallace, Catherine Murphy, Tom Fleming and John Halligan.

Left-leaning TDs under the banner of the United Left Alliance and Socialist Party include Joe Higgins, Clare Daly, Joan Collins and Richard Boyd-Barrett.

But three independent TDs, Michael Healy-Rae, Michael Lowry and Noel Grealish, have not joined the group.

They are expected to support Enda Kenny’s appointment as Taoiseach tomorrow.

Mr Healy-Rae said the three came to an “understanding” of their own.

“What the people of Ireland want now is politicians working in a unified, hard-working fashion to try and get us out of where we are at,” Mr Healy-Rae said.

“And just to go into the chamber, and I’m not talking about the technical group, politicians who are going to go into tomorrow or any other day and are knocking Enda Kenny or the ministers at every opportunity, that’s not my style of politics.”