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AN ABSOLUTE SHITSHOW. That’s the only way you could describe the chaotic scenes at Leinster House today.
Four suspensions of the Dáil, raucous scenes in the chamber, accusations of “stunt politics on speed” and at the end of the day, we have no new Taoiseach and no new Cabinet.
While the country was getting word that a red weather warning is on the way, there was no such alert for the storm that was about the hit Leinster House today.
“Never seen anything like it,” one TD told The Journal. Another said the Opposition were running roughshod over the Constitution.
But should this all have been foreseen?
It’s been 54 days since the election, and many expected that today’s proceedings of nominating and electing a Taoiseach would proceed without much drama.
TDs gathered in the chamber, Micheál Martin’s wife and children were seated in the distinguished visitors gallery, and those in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were buoyant.
But since last week, one issue has been rumbling on.
And despite assertions from the Tánaiste that no one was “excited” about the issue, that issue erupted today in a spectacular fashion causing havoc for the entire day.
At the core of today’s disturbances, the dispute over Dáil speaking rights and whether those in the Regional Independent group, who were involved in the government formation talks, are entitled to Opposition speaking time (you can catch up here on what it is all about).
No sooner had proceedings begun today, it was clear there was a big problem.
While Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald was the first on her feet to give out, it was clear the entirety of the Opposition were not happy.
It’s rare for the Opposition to join forces, but it became clear that they believed putting on a united front was their best move in this scenario. It could be said they should have done this perhaps prior to the election, but better late than never.
Throughout the hullabaloo of the day, a number of the Opposition leaders could be seen huddled in conference together, discussing their next move against what they dubbed “stroke politics”.
McDonald said that proposed speaking arrangements were a “cynical and unprecedented ruse” to allow supporters of the government sit among the Opposition, while People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said Independents were supporting government while “pretending to be in opposition”.
He said the situation has “taken the art of speaking out two sides of your mouth to a new and higher level”.
Things began to ratchet up from there.
Labour’s Alan Kelly said he didn’t want the Irish parliament to be “made a show of”, but said what was being put before them in terms of the speaking arrangements was a “farce”.
Cue more shouting and Murphy had to suspend the House.
Upon its return, the shouting continued. The Dáil was back for less than two minutes and had to be suspended again.
After about an hour, the Dáil returned and government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton requested another recess of 45 minutes to allow party representatives to meet and then consult with their own parties afterwards.
After that meeting was held there was still no resolution. The Dáil then returned just after 4pm. Naughton stood up and said an agreement had been reached, but Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn interjected to say nothing had been agreed.
There was attempt to push on with business, but Opposition members rose to their feet, with some Labour TDs making for the door. The Ceann Comhairle adjourned the Dáil.
As the hours ticked on today, nervous faces of the possible ministers-in-waiting could be seen in Leinster House. These are the people who were expecting to get a call from the Taoiseach today telling them they had a seat around the Cabinet table. Looks like they’ll have to wait another day.
One Fianna Fáil TD stopped to speak to journalists who had gathered at the bottom of the stairs to the Dáil, stating that Sinn Féin were pulling a fast one. They said it was time to get on with matters.
An Opposition TD who was nearby quipped that this was all of the government’s making.
Simon Harris and Martin spoke to the media afterwards, labelling the day’s events as a “subversion of the Irish Constitution”. A big statement.
Questions posed to the two leaders, included: Is Michael Lowry, who is one of the TDs in the technical group, an Opposition TD or a government TD?
Another was could this issue of speaking rights not have been dealt with before today’s sitting?
Harris and Martin were seething over today’s events, stating that the media shouldn’t buy in to Sinn Féin spin, while adding that this was not an issue they could resolve.
“This is the first time, I think, in over 100 years, that the Dáil has failed to elect a government to fulfill its constitutional obligation,” Martin told the media scrum outside Government Buildings this evening.
The only conclusion that can be drawn is that this new government never expected that such a process issue as speaking rights could hold up the show.
They didn’t expect that the muscle of the Opposition would be flexed and they would work together on this common cause.
Martin and Harris didn’t see the seriousness of the situation last week when there were threats of legal action from Opposition parties, and as a result, we don’t have a new Taoiseach this evening.
Green Party Minister Roderic O’Gorman (who remains a minister until we have a new Cabinet) tweeted today that he said previously that a government relying on Independents would be unstable.
“I didn’t think it would be unable to even elect a Taoiseach!” he said.
A strange and chaotic day. If today is anything to go by, we could be in for a bumpy ride with this new government. Will we have a new Taoiseach tomorrow? That’s tomorrow’s problem for now.
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Such negativity! South America has some of the fastest growing economies in the world and if it costs a few grand for our president to go over there and charm them into doing business with us then I say, go for it!
No! We have to stay in the ditch!
Do you really think this man gets business for Ireland, do you really, honestly believe that this pointless politician who we have made a millionaire will ‘charm’ them into doing business with Ireland? Is that how you think business works?
@ Angela Yes, yes and yes
Name one business/multinational our previous president was responsible for bringing to Ireland. Other than her speech writer and herself speaking of “building bridges” what did the 13 million we gave her give us?
Ah Angela I know it’s Monday but cheer up. It could be worse!
A smile, for you Nial :)
Busy day my bollocks. Come in to my job and you’ll have a busy day
Such a waste of Taxpayers money
Has the man no conscience
Irish politician, conscience … looks strange in the same sentence doesn’t it. Just another parasite.
Oh for God’s sake shut up moaning.
Alan, this is The Journal. While a large number of American websites are addressing legitimate concerns about the damage their comment sections are having on their reputations and the reader experience of their articles, Journal.ie is rolling along with the single ghastliest comment section that I’ve ever encountered.
Must be a terrible inconvenience to you. Imagine, real people with real opinions…what a ghastly concept!
Angela, everyone has opinions. You’re on the verge of comparing the Irish president to a 19th Century robber baron. It takes a certain degree of self hating cynicism for a country to decry its president doing his job and representing us abroad. Unless you’d rather he just wait around in Shannon for some long haul flights to land. He could greet other heads of state who have a refuelling layover. Maybe he could get them some duty free as a gift.
If that’s your opinion then I suggest you educate yourself.
Tue enough Fergal. The comments section on the Journal would make you weep for the nation.
I am comparing him to presidents of other countries. Lest we not forget we are a small island going through one of the most difficult recessions we have ever endured. He is horrendously overpaid and in my opinion a complete waste of tax payers money. Higgins could take a leaf out of senior José Mujica book.
Don’t read it then.
I am comparing him to the presidents of other countries. Lest we not forget we are a small island going through one of the most difficult recessions we have ever endured. He is horrendously overpaid and in my opinion a complete waste of tax payers money. Higgins could take a leaf out of senior José Mujica book.
Educate myself on what exactly?
Angela the salary existed before he was VOTED INTO office by us the democratic majority. So are you suggesting that a president if a country should not travel and meet with other heads of state to encourage trade links?
It seems people in here moan for the sake of moaning. Give it a rest.
Times change, circumstances change, countries change, salaries change. I don’t believe we need a president, especially not one who has no power and is just a plastic figurehead of a small island of 4.5 million people….yet whos presidency costs us over 8 million Euros a year and whos salary is more than the Russian president????
Good old Ireland, nothing changes
Higgins has a special, personal interest in that part of the world. I’m not sure those places are of any particular cultural or economic significance to Ireland. Seems like we’re financing an extravagant holiday for him. If ministers were behaving like this people would be outraged.
We finance a different extravagant holiday for him every 2 weeks, always 5 star hotels and Michelin star restaurants. Not to mention the HUGE salary we pay him, the mansion, servants, private chef, chauffeur, it all adds up to about 10 million over his term…not to mention his pension. Yet we cut the most vulnerable in society and blame each other for our economic woes. Sure isn’t it a great country.
There’s the phrase that renders you unlistenable.
‘The most vulnerable in society’
The most sickening phrase in the Irish lexicon.
Each to their own Alan :)…I’ll just use ‘Alan O’Connor’ next time instead
You’re right Angela, we should send him off to stay at a youth hostel with a value pack of super noodles. That will instill confidence in the trade links he’s trying to promote.
I have no problem with him staying in 5star hotels if that actually is the case. He is our democratically elected head of state.
Please provide proof of him going away every 2 weeks and proof of these hotels and Michelin star restaurants of which you speak.
Below is a breakdown of his predecessors opulent lifestyle, as president of a small island of 4.5 million people. I have no objection with the man paying for his own accommodation, out of a salary of 250,000 a year why not? What trade links will he ensure? What trade links did his predecessor secure? Other than the constant spin..tell me one multinational that was lured here by Mary or Michael? Surely they would have been all too delighted to publicise it…..name one?
“THE cost of keeping President Mary McAleese in office has more than doubled since she was elected, figures revealed yesterday.
The president is allocated almost g2million to run her household, up from g928,000 when Mary Robinson left in 1997. And she earns more than /230,000 per year.
The total cost of keeping the president is more than g9million when other expenses are taken into account.
The president’s expenses include:
19,000 on publications such as newspapers and magazines
1114,000 on telephone calls and postage.
1155,000 on foreign travel and 125,000 on domestic travel.
The Finance Department figures show the president’s estimated annual budget has risen to a EUR1,985,000. When Mrs Robinson took office in 1990 the budget was just EUR341,000.
A presidential spokesman said: “Most of the expenses are down to travel and staff. Also, the President holds and attends an immense number of functions and expenses arise from that.”
The president costs the Taoiseach’s Department, the Office of Public Works, the Garda, the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs EUR7,394,000.
The Garda will spend EUR432,000 in security and transport on the president and her office.
The Office of Public Works, responsible for the upkeep of Aras an Uachtarain and its grounds, will spend almost EUR2.5million this year.
President McAleese, who has just returned to Dublin after visits to Malaysia and Thailand, has increased her foreign travel expenses by EUR38,000.
But one of the sharpest increases is on domestic travel. This is expected to reach EUR25,000 – three times last year’s budget
It has not been revealed how much the President’s haircuts, wardrobe and make-up costs the taxpayer.
These figures are filed under “incidentals”.
The spokesman explained the EUR9,000 spent on newspapers.
He added: “That’s for daily newspapers, government publications and documents and other reading material that it’s necessary for the president to have in the office.” “
Excellent comment Angela. As I said in my previous comment
Has the man no conscience
Staggering nihilism and grumpiness. When did the Irish turn their backs on the rest of the world. At any other point in our century or so of independence, we would’ve been delighted to see our president being warmly received abroad and we would’ve sent him on his way with our best wishes for a fruitful trip.
We gave away out sovereignty and independence to Europe in successive European referendums…it’s a bit rich suggesting we need a president. I don’t consider being disgusted with the huge salary of the president of a small island of 4.5 million people in the middle of a recession.
The man is certainly overpaid but I don’t see how that’s relevant to the centuries-old tradition of heads of state being received abroad by their counterparts.
We will meet each other half way…however, I don’t see any reason why the Taoiseach of a small island can’t ‘double up’ and fulfil the role of president also.
Sure. We could have an American style of government with a powerful elected president. But that doesn’t work very well in any country but America (and even there it has its detractors). We need a head of State. The Irish president is more or less a figurehead but countries need figureheads. At their best, they provide unity and embody the nation in a single person at home and abroad. At worst… somebody needs to hobnob with ambassadors and the Queen.
We need to shrink the cost of government as much as possible. Considering he has 50 staff, the mansion, all inclusive 5 star luxury holidays every month and a personal chef…why does he need to be paid E250,000 + E100,000 expenses every year? Would the average industrial wage not suffice, or less?
“we” dont really have a state
In Order
-Foreign Banks and Hedge Funds
-Europe
-Troika
-Dail
-Seanad
-Higgens
As it is Kenny has no more power than a city Mayor , which makes Higgins akin to those mascots you see at football games. He is a joke and an expensive one
No, of course the average industrial wage would not suffice. I think we could halve his salary, to be sure. Aras an Uachtarain makes for a good presidential residence, it’s smaller than many European counterparts and a *lot* less fancy. And that’s before we get to the fact that he actually lives in an extension on the side of the building. As for the number of staff, some of those are civil servants, some are military and police, some are administrative, some are personal staff and then he has legal and political advisers as well. As for luxury holidays… presidents travel and we have to put him up somewhere. All of this doesn’t amount to a huge amount in the grand scheme of the national budget.
What does he need 250,000 for? What does he need 125,000 for? Comparable to small islands and populations of 4.5 million, his home is a palace and his salary, expenses and staff horrendously opulent. No comparison
The Irish president is more or less a figurehead but countries need figureheads. At their best, they provide unity and embody the nation in a single person at home and abroad. At worst… somebody needs to hobnob with ambassadors and the Queen.”
What do we need a figurehead for – surely not the reasons u give . this guy de s not Unite the nation – . He is a rubber stamp for a Neoliberal government.
to argue about his pay is like arguing about the pay of someone who is robbing you . We do not need this guy .
But yes – we need trade delegations to go to South America – more than Central America – – whose countries are growing and are no longer ”Americas backyard ” – now they have thrown out most of US influence .
Have you seen what Merkel lives in???Her apartment isnt much bigger than a average middle to upmarket Dublin apartment..The Aras makes the White House look like a potting shed.
We gave away our sovergnty in the 60s when we joined the ec. I didn’t hear you moaning when Europe were building all our roads and funding most public projects in the state. Stop moaning and beating the same old drum, it’s become tiresome Angela
No Colin. The original idea was for countries to get together to strengthen trade, which most people would have been in agreement with. I became disillusioned with the EU model when it became the political, centralised entity that it is now. We came to this through successive treaties cumulating with a constitution that overwrites ours in the Lisbon treaty. You are ignorant if you think that the EU was some sort of fairytale for Ireland, just another sheep swallowing the well oiled PR machine. You do realise that out of 40 years of being a EU poodle we were in recession for 30 years….explain that one spin boy? The 10 yrs we werent in recession was due to de-regulation and low corporation tax, the later which the EU still want us to raise. The 47 billion we are paying European banks (42% of the European banking crisis is being paid by Ireland) the billions of fishing waters we gave away, the sovereignty we lost pale in significance to the ‘roads’ and farmers grants…..educating Enda puppets becomes tiresome.
Total waste of money.
http://www.softirishrain.com/at-home-with-the-president/
For those of you struggling to pay your esb bill and keep the house heated, read this
awww lovely story , I hope he enjoys his trip and if you cant afford to go to Mexico yourself just enjoy the experience vicariously, you can even fist the air occasionally knowing that somebody poorer than yourself has paid for it.
Another holiday, I mean official state visit paid by the overburdened tax payer.
We do not need a president. It is a disgraceful waste of money, the whole political system needs to be changed in Ireland. Too many politicians, salaried too high, expenses too high. We are a small island of 4 million people in a recession….enough is enough.
We definitely need a president. Iceland has a population the size of Belfast and they have a president. A head of state is one of those things that you need in order to be a country.
he gets paid half of what Higgins is paid, doesn’t have 1/5 th of his expenses. No mansion, no butlers, private chef etc
In actual fact, the President does have an official residence, Bessataoir. From the size of it, I’m willing to bet that he does have a personal staff and he certainly has a state car.
The home of Icelands president: Ive seen houses in Leitrim bigger
The Irish presidents house:
For everybody who struggles to pay their bills and keep the roof over their head…read this.
It may or may not be worth pointing out that the Icelandic presidential estate consists of three buildings and that the Irish president actually lives solely in the 1911 wing built onto the side of Áras an Uachtarain and not in the main building itself, which is used merely as an office and for ceremonial functions etc. No matter. You’re on your high horse and Michael D Higgins is evidently Ceausescu reborn.
It may be worth pointing out that the Irish president has 50 staff, including an ‘ActiveX’ chef and gets paid double Icelands president.
http://www.softirishrain.com/at-home-with-the-president/
The ratio between the salary of the president Ceausescu and the average Romanian salary used to be, before “89, of 1/6…comparable to Higgins HUGE salary & expenses
“From the practical matter of finding their way around the meandering
92-roomed historic mansion and the 1,752 acres of grounds to the more
complex issues of protocol, it will be a challenging learning curve.”
The 1,752 acres in question are in fact the public Phoenix Park. Michael D’s predecessor actually gave half of the presidential estate within the park over to Dublin Zoo so it could double in size.
As for the 92-roomed mansion, the entire first floor is apparently used for storage and office space. There are only a few State rooms on the ground floor, most of which are sparingly used, and the family actually live in the small 1911 extension.
He’s opening new markets for emigration
Maybe when he is there he might nip into south America, and have a chat with the Uruguay president, and learn something’s from him.
A great man
Why?
He’s in North America
True. It’s a very common mistake people make describing Mexico as Central America. The Mexicans don’t like it. remember they’re part of NAFTA – there’s a clue in the name. As we tend to be a bit sensitive about what our country is called we should make the effort to get it right for other countries.
Split the difference and call it Central America.
We could call our country southern Ireland using that logic. Mexico is in north America, not south or central america
This guy is such a fraud. Why is he still earning over 200,000 euro? Why does he need all that money exactly?
I just realized – he’s 72, so he has a medical card as well, will he get to keep his I wonder ?
A complete fraud, just another parasite. He claims to be a ‘poet’ also…I encourage everyone to read his poem ‘The Ass’
I’m just curious, are we paying for his wife’s little holiday as well ?.
Could anyone enlighten me as to what type of business he is trying to attract from these countries on this little trip ?
Also, this trip was very badly timed – just after a budget that once again targeted the sick, needy and elderly.
Yes. The husband of our previous president gave up his full time job to fly around the world and stay in 5 star hotels with his wife.
God lord Angela I didn’t know that, what a bunch of freeloaders, have they no conscience at all ?
The attracting business spin is just the usual sound bite to give his role purpose and defend his disgustingly high salary. Only an idiot would believe that an Irish president can attract business to Ireland, but then again a lot of Irish people do genuinely believe everything they are told by PR companies and the media
“PRESIDENT MICHAEL D HIGGINS has a full day” Well quite; 5* meals, chit chat, baffling his interpreter. How does he keep up?
Pointless little t*sser
Angela Kelly reads like a poor Claire Daly and maybe a blond boyfriend too boot.
Thank you Stephen, you charmer x
He hasn’t visited North America yet. Why not ?. That’s where most of our immigrants are. Is he persona non grata there because of his anti American rants down through the years ?.
He has
King Obama would proably mistake him for a Leprachaun and think “Oh my!! it’s Saint Paddys day …again ??
Does this little guy have another godam fruit bowl with some kinda weed in it?” if he pitched up at the White house.
have your say