Michael Lowry said he has “never seen a nastier Dáil than this one” as the row over backbench TDs’ speaking rights continues. 

As opposition TDs heckled the Ceann Comhairle yesterday, People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy filmed Deputy Lowry raising two fingers in his direction. 

The Tipperary North TD was later accused of “giving the two fingers to the people in Ireland” by Independent Ireland’s Richard O’Donoghue. 

Reflecting on the day’s drama, Deputy Lowry told Tipp FM that the chaos did not reflect well on the 34th Dáil. 

“I don’t say this lightly,” he said. 

“I’m in the Dáil for 38-years, I’ve enjoyed the confidence of the public for 38-years. 

“I’ve seen many people come and go - but I’ve never seen a nastier Dáil than this one. 

“I’ve never seen so many roadblocks, obstruction.”

Verona Murphy and Michael Lowry. Picture by: Maxwell’s.

Deputy Lowry also claimed that the row over backbench speaking rights was distracting TDs from focusing on more important issues. 

“It’s obstruction, obstruct, put a roadblock in the way, stop democracy from working,” he said. 

“People need to realise in this country, they need to realise that we had an election. 

“The public endorsed this Government with a strong mandate and the Government should be allowed to get on with the work. 

“We have massive challenges, both national and international.” 

 

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He added that the opposition have “only one thing in mind and that is to bring down this Government.” 

When asked about his decision to raise two fingers in the direction of Paul Murphy, Deputy Lowry described the People Before Profit TD as a “constant, vitriolic, nasty individual”. 

“He produced his camera and started videoing the members of the Dáil - that is totally against regulation,” he said. 

“That is never done. 

“I called the Chief Usher and I pointed out that Murphy was using his video camera and the usher said he would deal with it. 

“Then Murphy looked back at me; at that stage, he was ranting abuse all over the place to everybody around him on the Government’s side. 

“I simply beckoned him towards me; if he wants to interpret that as giving him a salute, well that’s his interpretation.” 

In a statement to Newstalk, Deputy Murphy responded that the Tipperary North TD had "changed his story yet again". 

"He is clearly a man who can lie easily – given that he previously described it as beckoning me towards him and separately as telling me to sit down," he said. 

"I was not abusing anybody as anybody who listens to the video can hear.

"People can watch the video and make up their own mind. In my opinion it was two fingers from Lowry to the people and the basic principles of parliamentary democracy.”

Will Verona Murphy resign?

Today, opposition TDs called upon the Ceann Comhairle, with Sinn Féin inisting her actions had “decimated” the opposition’s confidence in her. 

A motion of no confidence has now been tabled in Verona Murphy signed by Mary Lou McDonald, Ivana Bacik, Cian O’Callaghan, Michael Collins and Richard Boyd Barrett. 

On The Hard Shoulder, Newstalk’s Political Correspondent Seán Defoe said a motion is unlikely to succeed. 

“I would agree that pretty much any other Ceann Comhairle, I’d say they’re toast,” he said. 

“They’re done, not a hope at all for them.” 

Seán noted that the last Ceann Comhairle to resign was John O’Donoghue, who quit following controversy about his expenses. 

However, Deputy Murphy has the confidence of An Taoiseach and the Chief Whip. 

“Micheál Martin in the Dáil earlier, was really supportive of her and highly critical of the opposition,” Seán said. 

Verona Murphy. Image by: OireachtasTV

In a statement to journalist, to journalists, Deputy Murphy said she "fully intends" to continue as Ceann Comhairle.

"Prolonged disorder and obstruction is utterly unacceptable in any democratic parliament," she said.

"So too is making false accusations of partiality and collusion against its officials and Chair.

"By virtue of the independence of the office of Ceann Comhairle, I am in the unenviable position that I cannot descend at will into debate to defend myself against the entirely false allegations of collusion made against me in the Dáil today.

I categorically reject these totally unfounded allegations. I have at all times followed the correct procedures of the House and the advice of the impartial officials present."

Main image: Michael Lowry. Picture by: Paul Murphy.