Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Wednesday, 22 Jan 2025

An Ceann Comhairle

Before we commence the very important constitutional business of nominating a Taoiseach, I wish to advise the House of what was agreed yesterday in the Business Committee on the speaking arrangements for prospective technical groups for today's sitting. It was agreed that the groups, as currently constituted, would be facilitated in the speaking arrangements for today, and this is without prejudice to decisions that will be taken following the completion of the submission process which I initiated last Friday on foot of concerns expressed by Members.

I assure Members that I will act with the utmost impartiality and fairness on this matter, and that I will ensure complete transparency in any of the decisions made as Chair.

I call on the Government Chief Whip, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, to propose the arrangements for the constitutional business of the day.

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Hildegarde Naughton)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. It is proposed that the following arrangements shall apply to the business to be taken today:

- The proceedings on the nominations for Taoiseach shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 1 hour and 20 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

- the allocation of time shall be as follows:

- speeches of a proposer and seconder 5 minutes each; and

- speeches by representatives of parties and the prospective technical groups who have not made a nomination 10 minutes per party or group; and

- members may share time;

- on the determination of any nominations for Taoiseach, the Dáil shall, unless it otherwise orders, stand suspended until either 5.30 p.m. or four hours after the conclusion of the proceedings on the nominations, whichever is the later;

- the proceedings on the approval of the nomination by the Taoiseach of other members of the Government shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 1 hour and 30 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

- the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

- speeches by Taoiseach and Tánaiste 15 minutes each;

- speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, the Social Democrats and the prospective technical groups 10 minutes per party or group; and

- members may share time-----

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin

That is a joke.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

It is ridiculous.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

-----

- the proceedings on the motion re establishment of Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative Scrutiny) shall be taken as the last item of business without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; and

- on the conclusion of the proceedings on the business outlined, the Dáil shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, 5 February 2025.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

That is not agreed.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

It is absolutely not agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies might give me a chance to ask the question. I take it that the proposal is not agreed.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

It is not agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

I propose we take brief statements, starting with Deputy Mary Lou McDonald.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

It is astonishing, after weeks and weeks of haggling among the parties that proposed to form Government over who would get which job, and how much they could increase the respective allowance for their record number of Ministers of State, that we find ourselves meeting on the first day of the Dáil and the first action of Government is to propose a further two-week holiday. This is unacceptable. We all know the big issues that face people on the ground and the message to Government needs to be: "Get to work."

There is no rationale, no excuse and no reason for further delay and for this two-week holiday.

Second, the speaking arrangements outlined, or proposed, by the Government Whip underscore again a cynical and unprecedented ruse from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to place their Independent cronies - supporters of the Government - on the Opposition benches and to afford to them the same speaking rights as genuine parties of opposition-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Hear, hear.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

-----which, remember, are elected here by hundreds of thousands of voters to hold this Government to account and express the democratic wishes and desires of those people and communities. I have seen brazen actions by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in past Dáileanna and Governments but this takes the biscuit. Rather than agreeing to temporary measures which afford these Government TDs speaking rights as though they were members of the Opposition, this should have been called out from the get-go. The Ceann Comhairle said she will be independent and fair in her deliberations. What has been proposed today is anything but fair or independent and is completely unacceptable to those of us in Sinn Féin and, I believe, to the Opposition as a whole.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Hear, hear.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Hear, hear.

An Ceann Comhairle

The next speaker is Deputy Duncan Smith from the Labour Party.

Deputy Duncan Smith

It needs to be said that at the Business Committee yesterday, all Opposition members registered their dissent to the arrangements and to the matter of the speaking rights for the technical groups. The proposal is for us to come back on 5 February, in two weeks. That proposal cannot proceed until we have resolved the issue of the technical groups' speaking rights. Notwithstanding what she said in her few words before we heard from the Government Chief Whip, I ask the Ceann Comhairle to state on the record of the Dáil that this is a temporary arrangement just for today - again, we dissent to it - and to acknowledge that there is deep division out there. Contrary to what the Tánaiste and incoming Taoiseach says, the public are angry about this.

Deputies

Yes.

Deputy Duncan Smith

They are really angry about it. I would like the Ceann Comhairle to commit to a deadline as to when she will make an adjudication on the joint submission from the Opposition on this matter and to make a decision that is for the good of the entire Parliament and every Member of this House. We in the Opposition believe there is only one answer to that question.

Deputies

Yes.

An Ceann Comhairle

We move now to the Social Democrats and Deputy Gary Gannon.

Deputy Gary Gannon

I am not sure which absurdity to oppose first but I will start with the Government allowing itself another two weeks to avoid Dáil scrutiny, not answer questions and not be held to account in the traditional manner of this Parliament. The public will simply not stand for it. It is ludicrous and was opposed in the Business Committee.

We need to demonstrate a little bit of leadership here. We all know the issues. The front of The Irish Times this morning tells us that Trump has removed the United States from international tax agreements. Is that not something the House should be able to discuss and understand? We are told that Ministers need time to settle into their briefs. That may be the case but we have a Taoiseach, a soon-to-be Taoiseach, a Tánaiste and a soon-to-be Tánaiste who are part of the programme for Government. Why can we not ask questions? When can we talk to the expected Minister for Finance about what our position is following events in America? It is absolutely ludicrous.

The arrangements for the new Dáil technical groups undermine the very foundations of parliamentary democracy. The idea of parliamentary democracy is that governments make proposals, as the Government did with its programme for Government, and we present alternatives to them, if necessary. What the Government is doing now belies that very principle. It is unbecoming. We are off to an incredibly bad start in this Dáil. This is setting the tone for the next five years. That is from you, not from us. What we are asking for is that the basic tenets of democracy are upheld here. Instead, we have the Government wishing that people who developed their own programme for Government correct their homework. It is absolutely despicable.

An Ceann Comhairle

We move to the technical groups. There will be one speaker per group. I call Deputy Peadar Tóibín.

Deputy Peadar Tóibín

Today, there are-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

Good man, Peadar.

Deputy Peadar Tóibín

-----thousands of children who are homeless-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputies.

Deputy Peadar Tóibín

-----and there are many children suffering pain from scoliosis waiting for operations. Today, many children will seek help with regard to their mental health but will be refused CAMHS treatment. Eighty-nine days will elapse between the last time we had consecutive Dáil business to the next time we have consecutive Dáil business. The excuse of the Government is that it has to bed down.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been in government for ten years at this stage. Actually, Fine Gael is heading towards 19 years in government. The idea that they need to take two weeks off to bed down into these Departments is ridiculous. These issues are urgent. Show a little bit of urgency and ensure the Dáil is back and working next week.

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan

The Deputy is in the technical group propping them up.

An Ceann Comhairle

We move now to Deputy Boyd Barrett.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

We are off to a farcical start in the new Dáil. To my mind, the last contribution really sums it up.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies, please.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Deputy Tóibín is in a technical group with people who are actually in the Government and have undoubtedly gone along with this charade, which is going to mean that, effectively, we have had no Dáil for three months. This is at a time when hundreds of thousands of people out there need answers and action from the Government to address their housing situation and issues like disability. Hundreds of thousands of health workers have also balloted for industrial action because of the understaffing of the health service, while section 39 workers are balloting for industrial action because they are being treated so unfairly and unequally. Yet the Government wants more time off. Why will we not be discussing the programme for Government next week? There is no reason questions could not be answered on the programme for Government that has been negotiated for weeks.

We have then taken the art of speaking out of the two sides of your mouth to a new and higher level. People are pretending to be Independent Deputies but are actually propping up Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. They are Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in disguise and, in reality, want to be in the Government, supporting it, endorsing the programme for Government. They are writers of the programme for Government while they are then pretending to be in the Opposition. They are undermining not just the Opposition but the right of the people of this country to have a strong Opposition and to hold this Government to account. This is more stroke politics from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in disguise as Independent Deputies.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy and call Deputy Michael Collins.

Deputy Michael Collins

I wish the Ceann Comhairle well. I also wish all my colleagues well on their election to this new Dáil. It has been 15 weeks since an election was called and nine weeks since we had the election. It is scandalous, to be quite honest, when we have a housing crisis where 15,000 people are without homes and there is a health crisis with people on trolleys. This is happening year after year and time after time. We have a cost-of-living crisis. Ordinary farmers, because of an IT problem in the Department of agriculture, cannot get their payments. Now it is proposed that we take another two weeks off to do I do not know what. I would say the new Government was sorted and solved the day after the count in the general election. The parties knew exactly what way things were going. The numbers were added up and we knew where the jobs were going to go. Now, they want to take another two weeks out. It is shocking, to be quite honest. The public out there are furious about it. We can hear it in their voices, locally and nationally. It is an issue that must be resolved and we must have a Dáil sitting here next week, get back to business and deal with those people who are without homes or are lying on trolleys.

On speaking time, I made it clear in the meeting of the Business Committee that Independent Ireland is totally opposed to what is being proposed. I know it is only a temporary situation today, but going forward it must be resolved. You cannot be on the inside and on the outside. We were very fair in the Business Committee because we said that people have a right to speak here. That technical group has a right to speak from within Government ranks but not from within the Opposition ranks. It cannot work both ways. I plead, therefore, with the Ceann Comhairle to come to the most sensible decision here and let democracy take its course in this country.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. I call the Government Chief Whip to respond to those contributions.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

On the timings for this morning, every party gets ten minutes each. If people wish to propose and second someone for Taoiseach-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

That is not good enough. That is not fair.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

-----then they can do it within their allocated time. Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and every party and technical group has the same amount of time.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Chief Whip.

Deputy Matt Carthy

How can the-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I am sorry, Deputy, excuse me.

Deputy Matt Carthy

How can the Government Chief Whip defend a situation where Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, please.

Deputy Matt Carthy

-----are getting 15 minutes each to speak, while Sinn Féin, which is larger than Fine Gael, the record should show, is getting ten minutes?

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Matt Carthy

The Ceann Comhairle has said that she intends to be fair and impartial, but her first decisions are not fair or impartial. In fact, she has facilitated the situation where the only Dáil Deputy-----

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

Withdraw that.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, I ask you to resume your seat.

Deputy Matt Carthy

-----that she credited upon her election to the post, Deputy Lowry-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

One of her first actions is to facilitate his charade for him and other members of the Government-----

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

Withdraw that.

Deputy Matt Carthy

-----where they are essentially backing a situation where they are supporting this charade.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, please resume your seat.

Deputy Matt Carthy

It is completely unfair and undemocratic. I must say I am really disappointed that the Ceann Comhairle is facilitating such a charade.

It is completely unfair and undemocratic.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Carthy-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

I am really disappointed that you, a Cheann Comhairle, are facilitating such a charade.

An Ceann Comhairle

-----I am actually going to address the contributions.

Deputy Matt Carthy

It is not acceptable at all.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me, Deputy. Please resume your seat.

Deputy Matt Carthy

I do not think it behoves the dignity of your office or this Dáil if we allow this charade to continue-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Hear, hear.

Deputy Matt Carthy

-----as has been outlined today. It is absolutely not good enough.

An Ceann Comhairle

Could you please resume your seat, Deputy?

Deputy Alan Kelly

A Cheann Comhairle, on a point of order.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me, Deputy.

Deputy Alan Kelly

A Cheann Comhairle, you read into the record earlier details relating to your decision.

An Ceann Comhairle

I had not even given-----

Deputy Alan Kelly

We need to know when your decision is going to be made.

An Ceann Comhairle

I have not been given the option to do it.

Deputy Alan Kelly

We need to know, because the Business Committee cannot even function and set up what is meant to be happening here in two weeks' time without that decision.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me, Deputy.

Deputy Alan Kelly

You also said in your letter you got two sets of advice. Which advice takes precedence? Was it the advice you got from the Clerk or the advice from parliamentary legal adviser?

When it comes to the functioning of this Dáil, this is a huge decision. We were looking at other parliaments across the Irish Sea two years ago and laughing at the way in which they conducted their business. Let us make sure that this solemn Parliament in Ireland is not made a show of around the world, where we set a precedent where people who are part of the Government are sitting in opposition. What a bloody farce.

Deputies

Hear, hear.

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy. I ask for some decorum in order that I might answer what was put to me by your colleague earlier.

Deputies

Hear, hear.

An Ceann Comhairle

I reiterate what was said. I can give the House and its Members an absolute assurance that I will deal with the matter expeditiously. As the Deputy is aware, and as the Business Committee will have relayed to every Member of the House, there is a process in place. I invited submissions in order that it could be open, transparent and impartial. The closing date for those submissions is close of business today. Pending the vote on the Order of Business, we may or may not resume on 5 February, but I intend to deal with it expeditiously. It does not mean that I will not be dealing with it-----

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

A Cheann Comhairle, could you put a date on it, please-----

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

Respect the Chair.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me, Deputy.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

-----in order that people might know? Just put a date on it, expeditiously. I cannot find it in my calendar.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

Respect the House and respect the Chair. Vótáil.

An Ceann Comhairle

I have said I have not yet-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

Why is it that your provisional arrangement favours the so-called technical group, a Cheann Comhairle?

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

There is no expeditiousness at all, a Cheann Comhairle. Could you just put a date on it? It is relatively simple. It should not be a big ask, a Cheann Comhairle. Can you put a date on it, please?

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

A Cheann Comhairle-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I am sorry. Excuse me, Members.

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

On a point of order.

An Ceann Comhairle

There is no point of order.

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

There is a point of order.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy can speak in a minute. He should resume his seat. Deputy Boyd Barrett wants to speak.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

I have a question - a short one liner.

An Ceann Comhairle

Members should not shout at me and jump out of their seats. I am prepared to hear them, but the reality in this regard is that I cannot give a date because I have not yet received all the submissions. I call Deputy Boyd Barrett.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

I have just one question. We asked for the OPLA's advice and the legal advice you were given. You committed to doing that. Can you tell us when the Opposition and the Business Committee will see the legal advice that led you to make your provisional decision?

An Ceann Comhairle

As soon as I have received all the submissions and had a chance-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Why wait?

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Why not share the advice now?

Deputy Pearse Doherty

You are here, a Cheann Comhairle, to support the TDs in the House. Why not share it with the rest of us?

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

Make your submissions.

An Ceann Comhairle

There is a process to be undertaken.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

You are designing the process.

An Ceann Comhairle

That process will not even begin until the close of business this evening when all the submissions have been received.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

What is the process?

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

A Cheann Comhairle, there is a massive conflict of interest here. I have done a submission on the conflict of interest for Independent Ireland. The Regional Independents nominated you as Ceann Comhairle. If this was any court in the land, a judge would not be allowed to preside over a family case.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

She is your Ceann Comhairle too. She is the Ceann Comhairle of this House.

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

In this case - not taking from the Ceann Comhairle's character - but in the interests of fairness-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy.

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

-----and the protection of the Ceann Comhairle, she should step aside and let somebody else deal with this issue. I am not taking from her character.

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Members. Everybody in the House-----

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

A Cheann Comhairle-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, you had-----

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Under Standing Order 35(3), I am entitled to propose an amendment to the Order of Business.

An Ceann Comhairle

On that basis-----

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

I propose that we suspend the Dáil and convene an urgent meeting of the Business Committee to deal with the outrageous proposition that the Dáil will not return next week and that 39 TDs in Sinn Féin will be allocated ten minutes - the same as your Government's group in opposition.

Michael Lowry is a member of the Opposition.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy-----

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Michael Lowry stood outside this building and said "We will support the Government in the good days and the bad", with all seven of them, and he is a member of the Opposition. For God's sake.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, please.

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

You are making a mockery of democracy here. The Taoiseach to come and the Taoiseach right now-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I am going to-----

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

-----designed this situation today. They have it within their power to resolve this issue. The technical groups should have speaking rights from the Government side. That is where they belong.

Deputies

Hear, hear.

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy.

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

I am proposing that we suspend the Dáil now.

Deputy Matt Carthy

A Cheann Comhairle-----

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

That is my proposal.

Deputy Matt Carthy

This is one of the first times on the Order of Business-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Carthy, you are out of order. Please resume your seat.

Deputy Matt Carthy

-----that I have been a part of that Deputy Mattie McGrath has not had something to say.

An Ceann Comhairle

Please allow me-----

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

This would not happen at a residents' meeting.

Deputy Matt Carthy

Now is his opportunity-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

-----to let us know why he is facilitating this charade and why the Deputy beside him is. Maybe he should get an opportunity to tell the Dáil why he is going to support an increase in carbon taxes for the next five years, thereby increasing costs for people driving to work and heating their homes and for farmers, and then pretending that he is in the Opposition-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Carthy, you are out of order. Please resume your seat.

Deputy Matt Carthy

-----and then having the facilitation of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Peadar Tóibín and Mattie McGrath to carry on in this charade.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am afraid-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

This is a test of you, a Cheann Comhairle, and so far you are failing the test.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

That is outrageous.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, I am going to give you one opportunity-----

Deputy Matt Carthy

It does not give me any pleasure to say that but you are facilitating one of the most outrageous breaches of parliamentary democracy we have seen here. It is not good enough.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

This is not an Ard-Fheis; it is the national parliament. Resume your seat.

Deputy Matt Carthy

It is not good enough.

An Ceann Comhairle

One opportunity.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

A Cheann Comhairle, you cannot allow this to continue. This must not be allowed. It is a farce.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will have to suspend the House, I am afraid.

Deputy Matt Carthy

It is not good enough. The two boys there got 42% of the vote but that does not give them the right to run roughshod over 100 years of precedent - every single precedent of the Oireachtas. It is not good enough.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

You have been a Deputy, a Cheann Comhairle, and you know this is utterly ridiculous.

Deputy Matt Carthy

It is not good enough. We have a cabal here of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents making a joke of this whole process.

An Ceann Comhairle

Resume your seats. Thank you. We will suspend.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies, please resume your seats. I am left with no option but to suspend the House for 15 minutes.

An Ceann Comhairle

As Deputies will all be aware, we have entered a process. I have given an undertaking to Members, categorically, to deal with that process expeditiously. "Expeditiously" means before the resumption of Dáil Éireann on 5 February.

Deputy Matt Carthy

We have not agreed to that.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

Can I make a point of order?

An Ceann Comhairle

I am now going to put the question.

Deputy Thomas Gould

Sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, can I have a point of order, please? I would like to pick up a point of order.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies who are in favour of the motion say "Tá".

Deputy Paul Murphy

On a point of order------

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies who are against, say "Níl".

Deputy Paul Murphy

What about the legal advice? When will we get the legal advice?

An Ceann Comhairle

The question is carried.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

It is not carried. On a point of order-----

Deputy Paul Murphy

When will we get the legal advice?

Deputy Thomas Gould

I am an elected Member of this Dáil and I am entitled to do that. The people of Cork North-Central elected me----

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

To hold a vote at this stage would be a disgrace.

An Ceann Comhairle

We now move to the next business, which is Nomination of Taoiseach, pursuant to Article------

Deputy Paul Murphy

When will we get the legal advice?

Deputy Thomas Gould

Fair is fair. There has to be fairness. There must be fairness now.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

A Cheann Comhairle, we cannot have a vote now.

Deputy Thomas Gould

We are not going to take five years of being pushed down and unfairness. I am asking about Standing Orders.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

This is a really serious issue. We have to have-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies, please resume your seats. The question has-----

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

-----a chance to discuss it.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

We will not resume our seats until you confirm you will deal with the issue. This is a farce.

Deputy Paul Murphy

On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle-----

Deputy Eoghan Kenny

When are we going to get the legal advice?

Deputy Paul Murphy

When we are getting the legal advice? Tell us when we are getting the legal advice, a Cheann Comhairle. There is no good reason not to give us the OPLA legal advice now.

Deputy Eoghan Kenny

What about the legal advice?

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

A point of order has been raised. Will the Ceann Comhairle deal with that please? A suggestion has been made. A proposal has been put through an amendment-----

Deputy Paul Murphy

We need to get the legal advice.

An Ceann Comhairle

We can suspend the House again if Deputies cannot resume their seats.

Deputy Eoghan Kenny

Ridiculous.

Deputy Thomas Gould

We will not stand for it.

Deputy Cathal Crowe

You are doing a lot of standing for Facebook there, Thomas.

Deputy Paul Murphy

We need to get the legal advice, a Cheann Comhairle.

An Ceann Comhairle

I suspend the House for 30 minutes. Thank you, Deputies.

An Ceann Comhairle

I now call on the Government Chief Whip to make a brief statement.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

Today as Members of Dáil Éireann, we are all here to elect a Government and Taoiseach following the result of the general election. That is our duty. The Ceann Comhairle has given a clear commitment to work with all parties and none to resolve the issue of the technical group. I reiterate the Government's clear commitment to work with her and that process to resolve that to ensure we have a politically acceptable solution. The Dáil will resume on 5 February and I want to ensure that together, we can ensure we have a functioning Government elected and up and running on that date. I propose that the Whips meet for 30 minutes to see if we can find a resolution with the Ceann Comhairle's approval.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is that agreed?

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

There will be 30 minutes for a meeting and 15 minutes to consult with our parties so it will be 45 minutes.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

The meeting will be 30 minutes long and parties will then have 15 minutes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is that agreed? Agreed. The House will suspend for 45 minutes.

An Ceann Comhairle

I call on the Chief Whip.

Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

Thank you, Ceann Comhairle. Following a series of meetings between party Whips today, a number of measures have been agreed. These meetings were held to enable the democratic process of this House and do what we were all elected to Dáil Éireann to do, that is, to elect a Taoiseach and Government. All parties have agreed to allow the democratic process to proceed. There were a number of agreements and it is my understanding that that is now in dispute.

Deputies

Hear, hear.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

This is disgraceful.

Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 22 Jan 2025