Sinn Féin has promised to “accept” the outcome of today’s motion of no confidence in the Ceann Comhairle. 

The motion is the first time in history that Dáil Éireann’s chair has been subjected to such a motion. 

However, opposition parties allege that Verona Murphy has demonstrated blatant bias in favour of the Government - something she denies. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh claimed that Deputy Murphy had colluded with the Government in the row over speaking rights for Regional Independent TDs. 

“It’s about the fundamental principle that you can’t be in Government and opposition at the same time,” she said. 

“We believe that last week, the Ceann Comhairle was not impartial or independent or fair. 

“That’s why we believe her position is untenable and that she should go.”

Opposition leaders outside Goveernment Builings, Dublin, speaking to the media about their lack of confidence in the Ceann Comhairle. Picture date: Tuesday March 25, 2025.

Deputy Conway-Walsh said Sinn Féin and other opposition parties have tabled the motion “very regrettably”. 

“I don’t think anybody wants to do that but we have to make a stand on this,” she said. 

“We cannot have a sham opposition; Micheál Martin gets to put the Government together, absolutely. 

“But he doesn’t get to put the opposition together and we have to have accountability.” 

The Ceann Comhairle needs to go. Yesterday, she assisted the government in running roughshod over the democracy of the Dáil. She has shown that she is not impartial or independent. Her position is untenable. She must go.#strokepolitics pic.twitter.com/FXl1boPOl9

— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) March 26, 2025

When asked whether the motion was a distraction from the many other pressing issues the country faces, Deputy Conway-Walsh said she wanted the issue dealt with swiftly. 

“We want an end to this and there are hugely important issues to be discussed and to be addressed,” she said. 

“How we do business is very important; so whether you’d be dealing with carers, housing or the tariffs, how we do business is important. 

“That’s why it’s fundamentally wrong - you can’t be in Government and opposition at the same time.” 

Leinster House. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

With the support of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Government-supporting independents, Deputy Murphy is expected to comfortably win today’s vote, allowing her to continue in her role as Ceann Comhairle. 

“Obviously, we’re a democratic party,” Deputy Conway-Walsh said. 

“We will accept the vote outcome today but we will continue to hold this Government to account at every turn.

“We have to do that; we have a constitutional duty to do that. 

“What that will look like at this point, we are not sure.”

Deputy Murphy has said she "fully intends" to continue as Ceann Comhairle and denied the "entirely false allegations of collusion made against me in the Dáil".

Main image: Verona Murphy. Image by: OireachtasTV