As Government formation talks continue the Regional Independent Group look most likely to come to an agreement with both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.
The group includes North Tipperary TD Michael Lowry – the group yesterday accepted a request from Carol Nolan, TD for Laois Offaly, to become the groups 11th member(the two Aontu TDs are also aligned with the group for Dáil time). The Regional Independents are proposing that their member Verona Murphy, TD for Wexford, be the next Ceann Chomhairle – the Dáil will vote in this on December 18th in a secret ballot. Outgoing Ceann Chomhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl is also understood to have secured enough TD nominations to be a candidate.
The Rural Independent Group led by Mattie McGrath in the last Dáil has now completed disintegrated as the two Healy Rae TDs from Kerry have joined with the 4 Independent Ireland TDs and Paul Gogarty to form another Dáil Technical Group
Seamus Healy, Independent South Tipperary has joined with the 3 People Before Profit TDs, Catherine Connolly, Galway Independent, Charles Ward, Donegal Redress Campaign and Brian Stanley, Laois, formerly Sinn Fein. This group will be known as the “Independents & Parties Group”.
The only other TD not aligned to a group is Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman who cannot join with any group until he is formally replaced as Minister for Children, Youth, Disability, Integration and Equality in the next government. Eoin Hayes, elected as a Social Democrat TD has been suspended by the party and will sit as an Independent next week.
