Michael Lowry’s Technical Group of independents who support the Government will not be given the speaking rights as opposition TDs, the Ceann Comhairle has announced.
A statement by Verona Murphy overnight, follows a two-week row which led to chaotic scenes in the Dáil during the election of Micheál Martin as An Taoiseach.
Opposition leaders are due to meet with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste today to discuss the issue.
Speaking in Brussels over the weekend, Mr Martin said there are fundamental principles involved.
“Since 1932, opposition TDs have been supporting Governments in one shape or form - that’s the reality,” he said.
“There are two issues here; one, the obligation of a Dáil to form a Government - and groups have a right to form.
“No political party can tell another group, ‘You can’t form a group.’”
View this post on Instagram
Mr Martin added that he hoped the row could soon be brought to a satisfactory end for all involved.
“We’re willing to negotiate a resolution to this,” he said.
“But it’s not on a kind of a sort of a black and white approach that’s been adopted by Sinn Féin.”
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has said that giving Michael Lowry’s independent group opposition speaking rights would “turn logic, reality and democracy on its head”.
Main image: Verona Murphy and Michael Lowry. Picture by Maxwell’s.
