Call for 'ceasefire' between Government and opposition ahead of Ireland taking on EU presidency

MEP Billy Kelleher called for restoration of pairing arrangements between Government and opposition TDs to allow for ministers to attend meetings in Europe

Much of the opposition withdrew pairing arrangements last year in the bitter row over Dáil speaking time. File picture: Maxwell's

A Cork MEP has called for a "ceasefire" between the opposition and Government ahead of Ireland taking on the EU presidency later this year.

Members of Government parties have raised concern in recent weeks a lack of pairing arrangements could harm the ability of ministers to attend meetings as Ireland takes on the six-month presidency. 

Those fears have been rejected by opposition whips, but Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher has called for a six-month "ceasefire".

Pairing arrangements are typically arranged between a government and the opposition in the case of ministerial absences from the Dáil to allow government ministers miss votes if they are on government business.

However, much of the opposition withdrew those arrangements last year in the bitter row over Dáil speaking time. Mr Kelleher has called for those arrangements to be restored until next January.

“Ultimately, we need a ceasefire. To my mind, this is the longest period where no formal arrangement has been in place between the opposition and Government.

We could discuss the reasons why this is the case, but ultimately, we need to find a solution for the final six months of 2026, where most of our ministers will be required to be out of the country working not just on behalf of Ireland, but on behalf of the entire EU.

An Irish presidency, which takes place every 13.5 years, is a distinct honour but also a great responsibility, he said.

“Ministers may be required to attend informal and formal ministerial meetings, chair meetings of the council, intervene in trilogue negotiations with the parliament and commission and attend plenary sessions in Strasbourg. The chief whip shouldn’t have to worry about keeping her majority during this six-month period."

Sinn Féin’s chief whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn told the Irish Examiner earlier this month his party would keep pairing under review, but was not minded at present to reinstate the arrangements.