Regional Independent Group Will Not Challenge The Ceann Comhairle’s Ruling In The Dáil

77

The Dáil is to sit at 2pm today as both The Regional Independent Group (RIG) of TDs led by North Tipperary TD Michael Lowry and Government parties say they will not challenge Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy’s ruling that the RIG group’s four TDs cannot form a Dáil technical group. Five TDs are required to form a group and the group had benefited from the membership of South Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan a TD from Offaly.

The Ceann Comhairle issued a detailed statement earlier this week outlining how the statements made by members of the Regional Independent Group after the agreement of the Programme for Government indicated that they were going to support the government and were not in Opposition.  It is understood that going forward the Group will seek a significant reform of the Dáil’s standing orders to ensure that Independent TDs supporting the Government get speaking rights in the chamber. Deputy Michael Lowry says the Government now has to examine options to accommodate what he termed “supportive Independents”.

The newly appointed Government Chief Whip Mary Butler is to “continue to engage with the Dáil reform committee to ensure speaking rights for all members are upheld.”  The 19-member committee was established two weeks ago to examine the issue and existing standing orders which govern the operation of Dáil proceedings.