Sean Ó Feargháil set to retain role as Ceann Comhairle

Incumbent Ceann Comhairle Sean Ó Fearghaíl looks primed in pole position to retain his role as the Dáil meets for the first time this afternoon.

The first order of business in the Dáil chamber will be the vote for head of the house, with just two TDs in the running - Mr Ó Fearghaíl and independent TD for Roscommon Denis Naughten.

While the vote will be conducted by secret ballot, early indications are that Mr Ó Fearghaíl will command a majority of support, with sources in Sinn Féin suggesting that he will be getting their vote as his removal from the benches would see that party and Fianna Fáil tied on 37 in terms of voting deputies.

Several independents have also indicated their support for Mr Ó Fearghaíl, who is seen to have performed his role well over the past four years.

Fianna Fáil’s own TDs were encouraged, without specific instruction, to vote for Mr Ó Fearghaíl at the its parliamentary party meeting late yesterday evening.

Fine Gael remains the conundrum, with no indications being given as yet as to whether an instruction will be delivered from the party hierarchy.

“We’re being canvassed by both sides, but no instruction has yet been forthcoming,” one TD said.

A second said that they had yet to make up their mind as to who they would be voting for, and would make up their minds at the last moment.

“Both are excellent, both are talented, it’s a difficult decision,” they said.

However, it’s believed that many in Fine Gael would be well disposed to having Mr Ó Fearghaíl as Ceann Comhairle once more if for no other reason than to reduce Fianna Fáil’s effective numbers.

Mr Ó Fearghaíl has made no bones about his intentions should he secure a second term in the hot seat, a role which commands a salary of €175,000, with plans abound to introduce reforms to remove the processes which gave rise to ‘votegate’ in the Dáil last year.

The Ceann Comhairle vote will be conducted once the names of all returned TDs are read into the Dáil record.

Both candidates will make a five-minute pitch for why they should be considered for the position before the vote proper takes place at private booths in the voting lobbies.

While the ballot is run via proportional representation, this will make little difference in this instance as there are only two candidates.

The vote is open for 90 minutes before the position is formally approved and the new Ceann Comhairle addresses the chamber briefly.