Ceann Comhairle rules that Eoin Hayes is a Social Democrats TD despite suspension

Verona Murphy's ruling means the Social Democrats get precedence over Labour at Leaders’ Questions, committee membership selection, and speaking order

Dublin Bay South TD Eoin Hayes with Social Democrats parliamentary party colleagues, deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan, Sinead Gibney,  and Gary Gannon. Picture: Stephen Collins

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy has ruled that Dublin Bay South TD Eoin Hayes will be counted as part of the Social Democrats for the divvying up of top committee jobs, despite remaining suspended from the party.

The party argued that Mr Hayes was still a member of the Social Democrats parliamentary party, as part of efforts to secure a second €10,000 per year committee chair job.

There was pushback on the party’s proposal, with Labour sources describing the efforts to use Mr Hayes to get an extra position as “dishonest”.

In a letter to the Clerk of the Dáil, Peter Finnegan, acting Social Democrats leader Cian O’Callaghan confirmed that there has been “no change” since the general election of the number of Social Democrat TDs elected. Mr O’Callaghan wrote: 

There were 11 Social Democrat TDs elected to this Dáil and, notwithstanding internal disciplinary measures, there remain 11 Social Democrat TDs in our party. 

However, sources in Labour criticised the move by the Social Democrats, highlighting that Mr Hayes has not been a member of their parliamentary party since before the first sitting of the 34th Dáil in December.

One senior Labour source hit out at the proposal, saying that the Social Democrats were trying to play “fast and loose with the rules”.

A senior Social Democrats source rejected this accusation, saying that allocations based on the general election results are a “matter of precedent”.

The matter was adjudicated on by Ms Murphy during a meeting of the Dáil’s reform committee on Wednesday, where she ruled that Mr Hayes would be counted as a Social Democrats TD.

A spokesperson for the Social Democrats defended the party’s approach, saying that committee positions are always done based on the general election result.

This was important to reflect the mandate that the Social Democrats received at the election.

The ruling also means that the Social Democrats will get precedence over Labour in several areas, including at Leaders’ Questions, committee membership, and speaking order.

A TD promoted to a committee chair receives a €10,888 salary top-up, bringing their total remuneration to €126,841 per year.

The allocation of committee chairs now sees the Government parties receive 15, Sinn Féin seven, Labour two, Social Democrats two, as well as one each to the two Independent technical groups.