The Government has used its majority on the Dáil Reform Committee to push through a change to Dáil rules to allow Independent TDs who back the Government additional speaking rights.
The committee voted by 10 members to eight to pass the Coalition’s proposals, sparking outrage among the Opposition.
The ten votes were comprised of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael members.
Immediately after the committee meeting, Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan accused the Government of an unprecedented attempt “to dilute Opposition oversight in this Dáil”.
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He claimed the Coalition’s proposals were “half-baked” and said: “The thin veneer of debate, at the Dáil reform committee, was just a sham and the Government appear determined to ram through their undemocratic proposals.”
The proposals will have to be voted on in the Dáil.
In a statement, Government chief whip Mary Butler said “under the Government proposal there won’t be any reduction in Opposition speaking time”. However, Opposition parties contest this.
In advance of the meeting, Opposition leaders wrote to Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy to express their “strong view” that she had “a key role to play in ensuring that the democratic procedures of the Oireachtas are properly fulfilled”.
They wrote that there had been an agreement last month with the Government “that any changes to standing orders would be acceptable to both Government and Opposition”.
The Opposition leaders said: “The Government is now looking to move away from this position and to make a unilateral move.”
Earlier, Ms Murphy has told Opposition party leaders it has “become clear” that there will be no consensus on the ongoing dispute over Dáil speaking rights.
Ms Murphy said she cannot intervene in the process of changing Dáil standing orders and it will be up to TDs to determine what, if any, amendments should be made to the speaking rules.
The dispute centres on Government efforts to carve out specific speaking time for a small group of Independent TDs led by Michael Lowry who support the Coalition.
Ms Murphy outlined her position in a letter to Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, Ivana Bacik of Labour, Mr O’Callaghan of the Social Democrats, Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit and Michael Collins of Independent Ireland on Wednesday in advance of a meeting of the Dáil Reform Committee.
Ms Butler has suggested creating a new time slot in the Dáil each week – called Other Members’ Questions – which would allow groups who are not in opposition to ask one question to the Taoiseach on two sitting days each week.
However, the new slot would result in Taoiseach’s Questions – which allows TDs to ask the Taoiseach specific questions about his department – being reduced from twice to once a week.
The Opposition leaders wrote to Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Wednesday seeking an urgent meeting him and Tánaiste Simon Harris.
In a short letter, the leaders said they consider it “not acceptable” that the Government seems intent on moving ahead with a proposal to create the new speaking slot.
In the Dáil earlier, the Ceann Comhairle told the Taoiseach to “stop behaving like a child” after Mr Martin continued to speak when she had told him that his time was up.
There were repeated interruptions from both Government and Opposition benches during a heated Order of Business and Ms Murphy said it was like a “playground”.
She took issue with the Taoiseach during his exchanges with Labour TD Alan Kelly. The Tipperary TD had asked Mr Martin about recruits to the Garda college in Templemore not being vetted.
“They are being trained, it has cost a significant amount of money, they have access to all facilities, access to guns, armoury and to a lot of information and they are not vetted,” Mr Kelly said.
Mr Martin said “everyone else wants us to get more gardaí as quickly as we possibly can, get them trained and get them out on the street to increase policing”.
He added that he would raise the issue with Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
Mr Kelly asked if he believed there should be vetting as the Ceann Comhairle called the next speaker, Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney.
The Taoiseach responded that “my honest view is that vetting is important but it’s overstated”.
There were continued exchanges between the Taoiseach and Mr Kelly as Ms Murphy again called on Ms Gibney.
The Ceann Comhairle asked Mr Kelly “to have respect for his colleague whose time he is taking up” before asking the Taoiseach “to stop behaving like a child please.”
Government TDs objected, as did Mr Martin, who said he had not been interrupting.
“What we seem to have this morning is a playground, so I’d ask everybody to conform and have respect for the members whose time you’re taking up,” Ms Murphy said.
