Opposition leader Mary Lou McDonald has claimed she doesn’t want to be involved in the “ruaile buaille” of the speaking rights row and vote of no confidence against the Ceann Comhairle.
On Newstalk Breakfast, the Sinn Féin leader said “heaven and earth” can seemingly be moved for Michael Lowry.
“We are in this extraordinary situation now and we have these extraordinary scenes in the Dáil all courtesy of Micheál Martin, Simon Harris and Michael Lowry,” she said.
“Heaven and Earth, it seems, can be moved to placate and facilitate Michael Lowry and the farcical situation and notion that you can be in Government and opposition at the same time.
“What we have seen here has been brought to us by the Government itself - it is a mess of their making.
“Nobody is seeking to do anything by diktat - what we are seeking is a clear, explicit understanding and respect for the fact that Government exercises its prerogatives and duties, the opposition does our job and we all do that in a Dáil chamber that is chaired and run by an absolutely independent Ceann Comhairle.”
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Deputy McDonald said we are “into uncharted waters here” because of “the Government and because of their deal”.
“Nowhere was it ever envisaged that democracy and logic would be turned on its head in the way that this Government has insisted, all to facilitate Michael Lowry being in Government and opposition at the same time,” she said.
“Never was it envisaged that the role of Ceann Comhairle itself would be a bargaining chip in forming a government.
“But that's what happened as part of this grubby deal and all of these coincidences of factors have now brought us to a situation that I deeply regret, let me be clear about that, I want to go to work and get my job done every day - I don't want to be involved in this ruaile buaille.
"But remember the entire opposition, not just Sinn Féin, the entire opposition has taken a very firm stand on this, because we know for us to do our job on behalf of the people and hold this Government to account, there has to be that clear democratic definition between Government and opposition.”
Mary Lou MacDonald. 08/11/2024 Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie
