Verona Murphy, the Ceann Comhairle or Chairperson of Dáil Éireann, says she won't be standing down from her role as Opposition parties band together to draft a motion of no confidence.
The motion of no confidence was drafted on Wednesday, the day after the Dáil descended into chaos amid an ongoing row regarding speaking rights ( again).
The row centers on changing Dáil speaking rules to create a new eight-minute slot called Other Members’ Questions, which would reduce the level of questioning the Taoiseach and Tánaiste would face each week.
According to Extra.ie, the official line is that it was to provide backbenchers with more speaking time, but most around Leinster House believe it was to accommodate TD Michael Lowry and his Regional Independent colleagues who were not rewarded with ministerial office as part of the deal to form the coalition.
The Ceann Comhairle eventually pushed for a vote on Tuesday, which was won by the Government by 94 to 74, despite the Opposition refusing to appoint tellers and to officially sign off on the counting of the vote, an unprecedented act in the Oireachtas.
Ceann Comhairle not even pretending to be impartial now, forcing a vote while ignoring the opposition calls for point of order #Dail #LQs #LowrysLackeys pic.twitter.com/ZVFnwEaAi6
— Mick Caul (@caulmick) March 25, 2025
Afterward, Murphy adjourned the Dáil for the day early. Opposition TDs chanted "shame, shame."
In a statement later on Tuesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the scenes in the Dáil "marked a new low in the behaviour of the opposition," adding, "It was nothing less than a premeditated attempt to suppress the rights of others to speak, and to bully and intimidate the Ceann Comhairle."
Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, TD Mary Lou McDonald, President of Sinn Féin, said: "A Cheann Comhairle, not alone have you lost the confidence of the entire Opposition, you have in fact decimated it."
She added: "Above all, the Ceann Comhairle must be impartial, fair and independent.
"By your actions, you have demonstrated that you are not. Your position is therefore untenable. I ask you to reflect very carefully on this because you need to go."
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
McDonald's sentiments were echoed by other Opposition leaders on Wednesday.
TD Ivana Bacik, leader of the Labour Party, said in the Dáil: "A Cheann Comhairle, yesterday you deemed the Order of Business passed, despite resounding calls of dissent from the Opposition benches. Without any legitimate democratic basis, you deemed that passed. You did so apparently as part of a prearranged set-up orchestrated with the Government.
"A Cheann Comhairle, you have a duty to apply the rules fairly and impartially under Standing Orders. I deeply regret to say after what we saw yesterday that I do not believe you applied the rules in that matter. That is why this morning, together with my parliamentary party, we agreed to ask you to reflect on your position over the coming days.
"If necessary, we will have no option but to table a motion of no confidence in you."
Regrettably, in our view the position of the Ceann Comhairle is no longer tenable due to the Government's insistence on placating the Lowry group.
The chairing of Dáil proceedings yesterday was not carried out in a fair and impartial manner. pic.twitter.com/8AzIW6ZaQO
— Ivana Bacik (@ivanabacik) March 26, 2025
TD Cian O'Callaghan of the Social Democrats said: "A Cheann Comhairle, the role of Ceann Comhairle in defending the democratic processes in this Dáil and the interests of all Members impartially is very important.
"It is essential that the Ceann Comhairle enjoys the confidence of both Government and Opposition.
"Clearly, this is no longer the case and you need to reflect on that position."
Yesterday, the mask slipped.
The derision and contempt that the govt have shown the opposition and the Irish people were clearly exposed, as Michael Lowry's bidding was done.
We all want to know – what deal did Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do with Lowry? pic.twitter.com/PhnFEN3r5y
— Social Democrats (@SocDems) March 26, 2025
On Wednesday afternoon, the combined Opposition parties published their motion of no confidence.
"That Dáil Éireann notes that the Ceann Comhairle no longer retains the confidence of all members of Dáil Éireann," the text of the motion states.
The motion is signed by McDonald, Bacik, and O'Callaghan, as well as TD Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit and TD Michael Collins of Independent Ireland.
According to RTÉ News, the motion will be formally tabled on Friday and is likely to result in a Dáil vote next Tuesday.
Murphy, however, issued her own statement on Wednesday afternoon saying in part that she has "loyally, scrupulously, and impartially adhered to my solemn undertakings made to the House, and through the House to the Irish people."
She added: "Prolonged disorder and obstruction is utterly unacceptable in any democratic parliament. 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 [Wednesday]."
Murphy continued: "I fully intend to continue to carry out the onerous office to which I was elected in accordance with the solemn undertakings I gave the Dáil upon my election.
"I call on every member of the House to reflect on and abide by their own constitutional obligations, to refrain from disorder, and to respect the rights and dignity of every other member and of the House itself."
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