A new taoiseach will not be elected today due to a lengthy row over speaking rights.
The 34th Dáil sat for just a matter of minutes this morning before outbursts forced new ceann comhairle Verona Murphy to suspend the house. The Dáil has now been adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Government leaders have accused the Opposition of engaging in a “subversion of the Constitution” by not electing a taoiseach, while Opposition politicians have said the Government is engaging in a “farce” by allowing TDs who support the Government to speak on Opposition time and resources.
Here’s a live blog to keep you up to speed with all the breaking news of a big day at Leinster House.
Opposition leaders to send ‘agreed text’ to government leaders
McDonald accuses Govt of making ‘bad faith’ comments about row
Dáil witnessed ‘stunt politics on speed’ – Harris
Breakdown in proceedings was ‘subversion of Irish Constitution’ – Martin
It follows a day of chaos after proceedings to nominate a new taoiseach had been delayed for hours to allow for talks on resolving the dispute.
Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton addressed the chamber after 4.25pm and said the nomination process should proceed.
Fianna Fail TD Albert Dolan took to his feet to begin nominating his party leader Micheal Martin as taoiseach.
Members of Sinn Fein, including leader Mary Lou McDonald, Pearse Doherty and chief whip Padraig Mac Lochlainn continued to interrupt the proceedings.
Mr Doherty described the Ceann Comhairle’s attempts to proceed as a “disgrace”, while Mr Mac Lochlainn said it was “outrageous”.
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy adjourned the Dail until 9am on Thursday.
There will be another attempt to elect Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin as Taoiseach tomorrow, but there is a tense row that must be resolved by morning to avoid further chaos.
Here are six things you might have missed amidst all the noise:
“We are united in our position that the government cannot contrive to have Government TDs designated as members of the opposition,” said Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.
“We believe the government has demonstrated incredible arrogance if they believe clearly that they could come in to the Dáil and ride roughshod over the collective opposition. That cannot be the case.”
Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Independent Ireland all agreed the Government had to climb down.
After being accused of having led “subversion” of the election of a Taoiseach for the first time in 100 years, Ms McDonald said she was not impressed by name-calling, and the real subversion was one of democracy by allowing Government supports to speak as Opposition TDs.
Yet Ms McDonald also branded the Government “arrogant,” and said it had attempted to “ride roughshod oveer the collective Opposition.”
She insisted the situation can be resolved “with honesty and integrity” by the Government. It had created this “farcical mess,” she said.
Opposition leaders to send ‘agreed text’ to government leaders
“Verona Murphy, the historic first female occupant of the office of Chair of our parliament, need not perish on this rock of inglorious incompetence and irresponsibly, which drew in all sides,” writes Senan Molony.
McDonald accuses Govt of making ‘bad faith’ comments about row
Harris and Martin to meet with Ceann Comhairle amid ongoing row
Philip Ryan
It appears those calls have been heard more than a month late, but Opposition leaders have said they will not back down on this issue.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called the proceedings of the day farcical and told reporters that democracy should be respected.
“The chaos we saw today, which has dismayed everyone, is chaos of the Government’s own making.”Ivana Bacik, Labour leader
Government and Opposition politicians continue to level the same claims against each other that have been made since the Dáil first sat this morning.
Opposition parties have been accused of orchestrating the events of today to undermine proceedings, while Government TDs have been accused of trying to “subvert democracy” by putting TDs that support the Government on Opposition benches.
“There was no orchestration,” said Sinn Féin deputy Louise O’Reilly.
“There is agreement across the opposition that this is a stroke that the Government was trying to pull and we will not stand for it.”
Speaking to RTÉ’s Drivetime, she said parties “right across the opposition” are united in their opinion and the Government alone have the gift of a solution.
Mr Lowry said he had never seen the Ceann Comhairle treated “with such disrespect” in the history of the Dáil.
He said that TDs were told that a Dáil Reform Committee would need to be formed to break the stalemate, and it could convene as early as Thursday, but that to form such a committee a government would need to be appointed.
It was not to be and lawmakers will be making another attempt to get Mr Martin over the line tomorrow.
Their parties have been accused of making a “premeditated, coordinated and choreographed” attempt to undermine proceedings today by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.
“We understand democracy, but I don’t think Sinn Fein and some of the others in opposition do, it is absolutely anti-democratic, and we’re in a really shameful position tonight.”
Dáil witnessed ‘stunt politics on speed’ – Harris
“The idea that when there are so many pressing issues, when people turned on their television today to see the outworkings of the general election deliver a new government for them, that that was deprived due to stunt politics is utterly disgraceful,” he said.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has said his party has sought the legal advice the Ceann Comhairle received on the speaking rights row.
He said TDs in the Regional Technical Group that support the incoming Government should speak on Government speaking time.
Mr Murphy said his party “wants to be able to get on with this business, we don’t want to be repeating this tomorrow”.
He pushed back against Mr Martin’s claim that there was a premeditated attempt to disrupt proceedings.
“The most fundamental obligation of the Dáil is to elect a taoiseach and, indeed, to elect a government.That opportunity was denied today by a premeditated, coordinated and choreographed position by the opposition and particularly by the Sinn Féin party.
”Micheál Martin
Tabitha Monahan