Row breaks out in Dáil over controversial speaking time arrangements

Opposition parties have not ruled out a Dáil “walkout” if the Government forces through changes to speaking times that favour the Regional Independent TDs.

The coalition voted through changes to give more speaking time to backbenchers including Michael Lowry and his Independents.

Opposition parties have said they will not cooperate and will keep all options of protest on the table.

Dublin Fingal East TD for Labour Duncan Smith told Newstalk Breakfast that the Opposition has not changed its position.

“Look, if we lose the vote today – which is likely, we may lose the vote, but it doesn’t mean we’re wrong and we shouldn’t stand up for our Parliament,” he said.

“We’re actually not [paralysing the Dáil], the Government are, and that’s the truth.

“We could run the committees, we could have the committees up and running now, we proposed that to the Government and the Government said no.

“The Government could have brought legislation over the last three, four weeks, the Government have not done that, this is all on the Government.”

Deputy Smith said Government backbenchers have “used this as a Trojan horse” to get more speaking time.

“[The Government has] done a very sophisticated job of spinning this as a speaking right – it's not, it’s a recognition of groups issue,” he said.

“They refuse to include Michael Lowry’s group as a member of Government, even though the dogs in the street know that they are.”

According to Deputy Smith, there has been a “poisonous element” brought into Government and Opposition party relations over the course of this row.

“If we lose this issue and this becomes a session in the order of the Dáil and we have to put up with a very insipid almost public parliamentary party meeting in the form of other member’s questions then we will have to absorb that over the course of this Dáil,” he said.

“But there’s been a poisonous element brought into relationships at whip level, for example.

“That has come from the Government in terms of how they’ve operated at these meetings."

Deputy Smith said this move will also marginally reduce opposition speaking time when it comes to private members.

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