Regional Group TDs cannot form technical group in Cabinet, Ceann Comhairle rules

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has ruled that members of the regional technical group of TDs cannot be considered as members of the opposition

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has now ruled that members of the regional technical group cannot be considered as members of the opposition.

The Ceann Comhairle has ruled that the Michael Lowry technical group is not eligible for recognition after a two-week row over speaking rights.

The significant development comes as opposition leaders had been due to meet the Taoiseach and Tánaiste on Tuesday in a bid to resolve the impasse ahead of the return of the Dáil on Wednesday.

The row, which resulted in the Dáil being suspended multiple times, centres around an attempt by the Regional Independents to gain speaking slots during opposition time despite propping up the Government.

Members of the opposition had not ruled out further disruption in the Dáil this week if the speaking time debacle could not be resolved.

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has now ruled that members of the regional technical group cannot be considered as members of the opposition.

In a statement issued last night she said: "As Ceann Comhairle, I have made a determination in relation to the recognition of the Regional Technical Group. I have come to my conclusion having carefully considered legal advice, submissions and other materials which are in the public domain.

I have made my decision tonight so that the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform, which meets tomorrow, will be aware of my ruling in advance of that meeting. I have decided that the Group are not eligible for recognition under Standing Order 170.

In a lengthy note accompanying her decision, Ms Murphy said there had been an ambiguity in the wording of Standing Order 170, but having taken advice from external senior counsel, she said a technical group cannot be approved unless they can "satisfy the Ceann Comhairle that they are ‘a body of Members in Opposition’ as a group".

She said that in order to make her ruling, she had regard to statements made by members of the Regional Technical Group immediately following Government formation, and went on to quote Mr Lowry and both Micheal Healy-Rae and his brother Danny. She also referred to a statement posted on social media by fellow Regional Independent member Barry Heneghan.

The final point in her ruling states: "Having regard to the foregoing, having carefully considered all of the legal advice, submissions and materials referenced above, I am not satisfied that Deputies Lowry, Toole, Heneghan and Danny Healy-Rae are members 'in Opposition' as required by Standing Order 170. 

"I therefore cannot accord recognition as a technical group to the Regional Technical Group as it is currently constituted."

Sinn Féin TD Pádraig MacLochlainn welcomed the ruling, saying this "should be the end of the matter".

He told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that it had been “a political stroke too far” for Michael Lowry and the Regional Independent TDs to one day say they were government TDs and the next day to say they were going to be in opposition and ask Leaders' Questions.

“Hopefully the government and Micheál Martin particularly finally see sense rowing behind this and give speaking time and committee positions to government TDs from the government side.” 

Mr MacLochlainn said that the actions of the government had been “a real insult to intelligence” and Mr Martin had not responded to requests to meet leaders of the opposition over the weekend. The Ceann Comhairle had now made her decision, “everybody should just respect that now and move on. “