Technical Group to ask the Ceann Comhairle to stop ex-Fine Gael TDs joining

The Dáil's Technical Group is to write to the Ceann Comhairle asking him not to allow four ex-Fine Gael TDs to join it.

Lucinda Creighton and three other members of the Reform Alliance are asking to join the group in order to get more speaking time in the Dáil.

However, it has emerged that the rest of the group does not want any new members because it apparently has not got the resources to cater for them.

It is also understood that the members are to write to the Ceann Comhairle asking that the four TDs should not be allowed to join, due to the fact they were elected as members of an existing party.