Why is Dail speaker Murphy facing confidence motion?

The speaker of the parliament is to face a confidence motion as part of an unprecedented row between opposition and government.

A vote on Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy was tabled after the opposition accused her of partisanship over her handling of their protest in the Dail last week.

Ms Murphy “categorically” denied the accusations and said she “fully” intends to continue in the role.

It was set to be the first time a no confidence vote in a Ceann Comhairle was held in the history of the state. The Government now intends to bring a confidence motion in the speaker instead.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said Ms Murphy’s position had become “untenable” as part of a row over changing Dail speaking time.

The deepening dispute has convulsed parliament since the new government was formed in January, preventing committees from being established and hindering legislative work.

– How did we get here?

The row began with how the coalition government was formed in January.

The Regional Group of Independents and two Kerry brothers, Michael and Danny Healy-Rae, struck a coalition deal with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.

The Regional Group were led by Independent Tipperary TD Michael Lowry, who was a communications minister with Fine Gael in the 1990s.

It emerged that he had suggested Verona Murphy, a Wexford TD who was part of the Regional Group, be put forward as the government candidate for Ceann Comhairle.

Five independents were appointed junior ministers.

The remaining independents sought to form a technical group – a mechanism that gives opposition TDs speaking time during high-profile Dail slots such as Leaders’ Questions.

This was strongly rejected by most opposition parties who argued that the independents who helped form the incoming government should not be treated as opposition TDs.

They argued this would dilute the role of opposition in the Dail to hold government to account.

On January 22, the nomination of Micheal Martin as Irish premier was delayed by the opposition’s disruptive protest against the government’s proposals.

The nomination of the Taoiseach was allowed to proceed the following day while a proposal satisfactory to both government and opposition was worked on by the Dail reform committee.

But these efforts stalled after the opposition and government accused one another of not compromising.

“We have gone backwards,” People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said on January 31.

On February 3, Ms Murphy said she was not satisfied that government-affiliated independent TDs, including Mr Lowry, could be in opposition.

Despite this intervention, the Government proposed an “other members” grouping, arguing that a modern Irish parliament was “not necessarily made up of Government and opposition members”.

A vote of the Dail reform committee held on February 26 approved the Government proposals; although the Government has a majority on that committee to reflect its Dail majority.

– ‘Farcical’ Dail scenes

Disorder broke out in the Dail on the day a vote was due to be held to approve the change of rules.

Before the vote took place, opposition TDs repeatedly disrupted Mr Martin during Leaders’ Questions.

Opposition TDs then took to their feet and raised their objections in an attempt to derail the vote.

During the lengthy standoff, Ms Murphy ordered TDs to sit down, saying their actions were “an absolute disgrace” and they were making a “holy show of yourselves”.

Amid the shouting and interruptions, and allegations of misogyny from Ms Murphy, the motion to change Dail rules was announced as passed by the speaker.

Later that day, seven opposition parties failed to express confidence in Ms Murphy over how Dail procedures and rules were handled during the disruption in the chamber.

Ms McDonald said that opposition leaders were “troubled” by Ms Murphy’s actions and suggested that she had rushed through Dail procedure in a way that was “orchestrated”.

The opposition then drafted a motion of no confidence against Ms Murphy and asked her to consider her position.

Ms Murphy “categorically” rejected accusations of “partiality and collusion” and said she “fully” intends to continue in her role.

“Prolonged disorder and obstruction is utterly unacceptable in any democratic parliament,” she said in a statement.

“So too is making false accusations of partiality and collusion against its officials and chair.”

– The vote

The Cabinet is expected to sign off on a confidence motion for Ms Murphy on Tuesday morning, ahead of a vote later that day. She is expected to survive the vote due to the Government’s majority.

The opposition has not clarified if they will continue to disrupt the Dail if Ms Murphy remains as Ceann Comhairle, or if they will legally challenge the way the motion to change the Dail speaking-time rules was passed.

The Taoiseach issued a stark warning the day after chaotic scenes in the Dail.

“New precedents have been set. I do not believe this Dail will ever be the same again because of what has transpired over the past few weeks. It will never be the same again,” he said.