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LAST UPDATE | 31 Jan
THE ROW OVER speaking time for Michael Lowry and the Regional Independents will rumble into next week, with no deal reached today after a mammoth meeting.
The failure to reach an agreement today risks a repeat of the chaotic scenes seen in the Dáil last week.
The leaders of Sinn Féin, Labour, Independent Ireland, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit have written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris this evening to say their proposal to end the row is “entirely unacceptable”.
An informal meeting of the Dáil’s reform committee was held today after a virtual meeting of the committee ended in stalemate last night.
Today’s meeting also ended without agreement, with Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins telling the media afterwards that the situation is now a “crisis”.
It is a crisis that we’re in… Deputy Lowry seems to have some severe power over this government.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 31, 2025
“He can call whatever shots he wants, the way he wants.” - Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins tells the media.
@thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/jVClq2emYT
The opposition are now calling on Micheál Martin and Simon Harris to agree to meet with party leaders in an effort to reach an agreement before the Dáil returns on Wednesday.
Chair of the Dáil reform committee, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy this afternoon attempted to mediate between the opposition side and the government and Michael Lowry, who himself is on the Dáil reform committee.
In a statement, Murphy said it is “regrettable that no consensus or agreement could be reached today”.
She said she is committed to “exhausting every possible avenue”.
The committee has agreed to reconvene on Tuesday, 4 February at midday.
Government chief whip Mary Butler has been leading the talks on the government’s side.
The government’s proposal, which has not been accepted by the opposition, would see Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole and Danny Healy-Rae recognised as “an informal technical grouping of unaligned members” of the Dáil rather than opposition or government TDs.
The proposal also sets out that standing orders shall be amended to allocate additional time for Leaders’ Questions and Priority Questions for this group, adding that this measure will see no reduction in the allocation of time to any party or group.
“Totally unacceptable.”
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 31, 2025
Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan has called on the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to “cut all ties” with Michael Lowry.
The SocDems are also of the view that it is time for the party leaders to get back around the table.
@thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/ikXqoScbyU
Speaking in Cork earlier today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the issue is more “nuanced” and “complex” than people are suggesting. He said that he was hopeful an agreement would be reached by the committee today.
Speaking to media after the committee meeting ended today, Sinn Féin whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said it is “very clear that the government are determined that Michael Lowry will have Leaders’ Questions… and be treated like a member of the opposition.”
He continued: “Michael Lowry stood on this with seven independent TDs, four of them are now ministers, and he said, ‘We will support this government, on the good days and the bad’ and the government are now trying to tell us and the Irish people that actually he isn’t a government supporter, [that] he’s unaligned.”
He said it is “deeply frustrating” that progress now seems to be regressing.
“We’re actually going backwards. And for some reason, Micheál Martin and Simon Harris are standing by their man, standing by Michael Lowery in defiance of common sense and logic.”
Asked what will happen next week if an agreement is not reached, Mac Lochlainn said he hopes a solution is found before then.
“We’re not thinking at that point right now. But we rule nothing out. We can’t rule anything out. I mean, you have to respect the opposition,” he said.
Ahead of the meeting this morning, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy warned that the opposition are willing to “protest robustly” next week if no agreement is reached.
The Dáil reform committee is meeting again today to try and end the row over speaking rights for the Regional Independents.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) January 31, 2025
After no progress yesterday, Paul Murphy says if it is the same today then the opposition will have no choice but to “protest robustly” next week.
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Asked what this would involve, Murphy said there has not be a discussion yet but that the opposition remain united in their position.
Murphy said the proposal put forward by the government yesterday creates a “fudge” and is “not in tune” with what was provisionally agreed the week before.
Murphy said today that the proposal is a direct contradiction to what was agreed last week.
“To be clear from the opposition side, there is not some attempt to deny Michael Lowry and his group the right to speak. They absolutely should have the right to speak in the Dáil. We have said we’re willing to amend standing orders to say that they can be recognised as a technical group within government,” Murphy said.
In a statement this evening, a spokesperson for Government Chief Whip Mary Butler accused the opposition of holding the Dáil to ransom and said the government parties have entered negotiations in good faith.
The spokesperson said the government is “disappointed” that the opposition chose to dismiss the government’s proposal.
“Our Dáil must be able to function, and we cannot have a repeat of the scenes in the chamber last week, and no individuals should be able to hold the Dáil to ransom.
“The Government is focused on an orderly meeting of the Dáil next week, to address the aftermath of Storm Éowyn and the business that the public expect all of our elected representatives to do,” the spokesperson said.
The Journal has requested comment from Michael Lowry.
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They get a nice pension for that little stint. New passengers for the gravy train all aboard.
Sean
You bring envy to a new pitch completely. Government is made up of parts in much the same way as large organisations such as businesses. Is it so completely unacceptable that a Management team would assist in the running of a State and that we democratically elect those who will ultimately be appointed to that Team.
This mirrors the behaviour of every other democratic State as far as I understand and the people don’t behave like contributors to the Journal with a whinge or a moan or a piece of negativity at every hands turn.
Sean would you for Gods sake……grow up …..you’re as a bad as a country singer moanfest!
‘grow up’ is a common bit of advice on here….
Yes Will
Followed – or preceded – by ‘for gods sake’
More meaningless drivel
There is no need for many of these junior ministers. It really is a gravy train that keeps backbenchers happy and plays to constituency voters and party members. Rather than making personal attacks you could explain what contributions most of these appointments make to governance and progress. They are overheads that contribute little.
Rodgers as usual spouting tripe.
Richard ( Dick)
I am all too grown up that is why I can see the wood from the trees. These junior ministries were introduced under the Haughey era to give disappointed TDs a “job” who did not make it into cabinet. They certainly were not another level of management to assist cabinet . Far from being envious of these politicans . It is just plain anger that I feel for having to pay for their office out of my taxes.
Paul
I run a very substantial business with many hundreds of employees and contractors. I fully recognise that it would be impossible to do that without an appropriate Management Team across every level of the Organisation. We don’t have an Army Council or a Dear Leader as you would understand it. That wouldn’t function Paul in modern times. Of course in your Party which behaves so much like the politics of Cuba or North Korea where your friends impose their management style with imprisonment torture and execution you probably see that as acceptable!
Your one line nastiness is highly intelligent and reflective of your Sinn Fein allegiance.
Richard, you’re confusing a decent structure with decent incumbents. A high powered business such as yourself should know the difference.
John Perry will have to do out another SFS for the banks ..
John was in the right place at the right time
I wonder are any of these JUNIORS on job bridge!!!!!!!
any of these JUNIORS on job bridge…..no…all on the gravy train
If you put Coffey out for the rob, you’d get no takers. Worse than useless.
Good to bring in some new faces. Simon Harris has done well in the PAC hearings.
Taking Hayes’s job was the reward for running in the euro elections.
(And doing better than expected in them).
After seeing him snearing and sniding his way through the euro debates I dislike him even more
Harris is impressive, and I hope he can bring some fresh thinking to the Department. I fear, however, that he’s going to end up as a fireman when the truth about the banks emerges.
He may be good on paper, but he comes across as too much of a teacher’s pet for the Irish electorate to warm to him significantly.
He lacks the ‘man’s man’ macho charm and charisma of O’Snodaigh, Toibin and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.
What are his credential other than being young? Does he have a background in finance? Does he have a university degree? Has he ever held a job in the private sector? Finance?!?
Most of these Junior / Juvenile clowns will be redundant after next Election . Money wasting political farce.
Simon Harris is a young Mr Burns
I can hardly wait to see Enda’s new team!
I’d be ashamed if I was only getting promoted to try halt the rise of sinn rein, that is until I see the payment I’ll receive for playing my part in the charade that is democracy in Ireland!!
All that a reshuffel means is we will all have to listen to a different strain of verbal diorrhea.
Happy to see Simon Harris was elevated. He seems to actually be bright, unlike most junior ministerial hopefuls — ex-PD opportunist Mary Mitchell-O’Connor, for example.
Bright. Like a lighthouse in a bog. Bright but useless!
What happened Fergus O’Dowd?
He’s been dropped apparently. Right decision – he’s not an effective Minister at all in my view.
Anybody know why we have a reshuffle at same time as they do at Westminster?
One a side issue what do the lads here think of Esther mcvey the Tory minister promoted today? My god she is a stunner we could do with a replacement for Mary Harvey ;)
Ding Dong
Because we had local elections at the same time as the UK too.
She’s ok looking, but exactly a MILF by anyone’s standards
*not exactly
Check her pics out online I tell u she is a god :)
Sorry to see Ciaran Cannon dropped from Education.
He was a real advocate for IT in education; such forward-thinking is regrettably rare within this government.
It’s all well and good in the summer giving that chap the junior finance role. But once the school year begins again will he be able to juggle it with his Leaving Cert?
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