THE Dáil has narrowly backed Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy in a vote of confidence that exposed deepening tensions between the Government and Opposition over parliamentary procedures and political deals with Independents.
TDs voted 96 to 71 in favour of Ms Murphy, with two abstentions, after a fractious debate.
The controversy stems from a row over speaking rights in the Dáil.
In a rare turn of events, five Opposition groups — Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity, and Independent Ireland — publicly declared they had lost confidence in Ms Murphy. The long-running row hit a flashpoint last week with the passing of rules to create a new speaking slot for Government backbenchers and members of the Independent Group led by Michael Lowry.
During the debate, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “The actions of the Ceann Comhairle have been neither impartial nor independent, quite the opposite. The credibility of the Ceann Comhairle now lies in tatters, having lost the confidence of the opposition.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik also described the Government’s deal as a “secret, grubby deal.”
But Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the motion was “profoundly regrettable” and accused the Opposition of staging a “strategy of aggression and destruction.” He defended Ms Murphy’s conduct and accused her critics of hypocrisy and political theatre. He believed that Dáil Éireann had more important matters to deal with, he said. “Our country is facing enormous threats, threats which may be felt in every community and every household – tariffs, housing, disability and so forth.”
In a brief statement following the vote, Ms Murphy said she bore “no ill will” and pledged to continue to act “fairly and impartially” in her role. “My door is always open,” she added.
This was the first time in the history of the Dáil that a Ceann Comhairle faced such a motion, underscoring the growing polarisation within Irish parliamentary politics.
Compounding the controversy prior to the vote, and aside from the row over speaking rights, concerns have also been raised about Ms Murphy’s suitability for the Ceann Comhairle role given her inability to speak Irish fluently. While there is no statutory requirement for the chair to be a Gaeilgeoir, critics have argued that the symbolic nature of the office — steeped in tradition and representative of all communities — calls for a basic command of the national language.
Ms Murphy is from Co. Wexford, and is an Independent TD for Wexford, assuming office in 2020.
One of 11 children, Murphy was born and raised in Ramsgrange, Co. Wexford in a farming background. She spent time working in England before returning to Ireland to ultimately take u a career in politics.