Mick Clifford: A farcical day in the Dáil as Taoiseach vote descends into disorder

In a day of chaos and farce, the Dáil failed to elect a Taoiseach, tarnishing its democratic reputation

Opposition TDs arguing their point in the Dáil. They were not prepared to tolerate the prospective government’s plan to adjourn for two weeks while an issue is outstanding about some deputies in the Regional Independent group being allowed to sit in both government and opposition. Picture: Flickr Houses of Oireachtas

Once upon a long ago, WB Yeats declared in an Irish institution, the Abbey Theatre, “You have disgraced yourselves again.” 

He might have been just the man to stride across the floor of the Dáil yesterday, admonishing the tribunes of the people who failed to elect a taoiseach.