‘It’s not having my cake and eating it, that is muddying the waters’ Toole responds to criticism over Dail speaking rights

Gillian Toole says she is supporting the Regional Independent Group’s proposal to remain on the Opposition benches - despite members of that same grouping due to serve in government - to ensure she “will have a voice” for the people of Meath East.

The Regional Independent Group is made up of Michael Lowry, Seán Canney, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Noel Grealish, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, and Gillian Toole. They have been joined by Kerry Independents, Michael Healy Rae and Danny Healy Rae.

Two of the group's TDs, Seán Canney and Noel Grealish, will hold super junior ministerial posts that will enable them to attend and contribute to Cabinet meetings.

Kevin Boxer Moran, Marian Harkin and Michael Healy-Rae will all hold minister of state roles. This means Michael Lowry, Gillian Toole, Danny Healy Rae and Barry Heneghan who supported the Programme for Government - will not have a formal position.

“It's not opposition, it's speaking time and representing the concerns of Meath,” Toole told the Meath Chronicle. “Otherwise I can't raise any issues as an independent individual, I can't ask leader's questions and I cannot work on a bill,” she added.

“They are calling it opposition but we have to sit somewhere, I can't sit with Fianna Fail or Fine Gael.

“I still have to be able to articulate the needs of Co Meath. Section 170 of the Dail Standing Order document enables non parties and parties with less than five to come together to form a group.

“Otherwise I have no voice. There has to be provision for speaking time for those of us in this situation.”

Deputy Toole says her only priority is to deliver for the people of Meath East and that she will embrace an opportunity to help her do that despite political parties accusing her group of “having their cake and eating it.”

“I never gave promises to anybody other than to deliver two things,” said Toole. “That I would do my best and that I would work with everyone and anyone to improve funding for Meath East and quality of life as best I can for people and taking on board the needs of the people I represent,” she added.

“I was ten years as a councillor and 35 years working in healthcare in the county. It's not having my cake and eating it, that is trying to muddy the waters.

“I still have to be able to use my voice to represent the people of Meath East. I worked for the week on the programme for government and I have contributions in for disability services, public transport, education, the rail line, community healthcare and a huge amount of it was taken on board.

“This term has a maximum of five years so I can be either on the sideline and complaining or if the opportunity presents itself which it did to the independent group, I can be on the pitch and I can contribute.

“Because all along I have had solutions in my head, I put them forward in the videos I posted as a councilor, I put them forward for ten years in the chamber, some of them took root, for others the chamber of Meath County Council wasn't the appropriate place for them.”

Toole says she owes it to the people who elected her to be proactive and fight for their concerns.

“I can sit and whinge and say it is all about me or put on my big girl pants and get out there and do the jobs people elected me to do,” said the Meath East TD.

“I have to take the ball and run with it,” she added.

“I can't turn around and complain in two years time that Meath is still second from the bottom of 31 counties for funding.

“I;m already passing information about Meath projects to the four who will be in strong position.

“I don't intend to sit around twiddling my thumbs.”

Meanwhile Sinn Féin TD for Meath East, Darren O'Rourke, says the attempt by Government-supporting Independent TDs to avail of Opposition speaking time in the Dáil is an insult to people's intelligence and a deliberate attempt to weaken accountability.

“The suggestion that a TD can commit to support the government and then seek to use opposition speaking time in the Dáil is an insult to people's intelligence. It also has the very real impact of reducing the amount of time Opposition TDs have to hold government to account. This is quite despicable and must be resisted.

“No one denies any TD the right to ask questions of government, but what we're talking about here is dedicated time for those who are in Opposition. Independent TDs Michael Lowry, Noel Grealish, Sean Canney, Marian Harkin, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Barry Heneghan and Meath East's Gillian Toole have indicated their support for the soon-to-be elected Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Independent Government.

Their lead negotiator, Michael Lowry, said the group would “support the government on the good days and the bad days”. Incredibly, now those TDs in the group who haven't been given one of the record number of Super or Junior Ministerial roles are seeking to take Opposition speaking time.

“I was shocked that newly-elected Meath East TD Gillian Toole sided with Michael Lowry and agreed to support Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. That is her prerogative, of course, but I don't believe it represents the mandate she got from the people of Meath East.”

A spokesperson for Houses of the Oireachtas confirmed that The Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy TD, has written to all members of the Business Committee following the discussion at last Thursday's meeting on the recognition of technical groups where some members have publicly undertaken to support Government.

Ms Murphy invited Members of the Business Committee who do not agree with the position outlined therein by the Ceann Comhairle, to make a submission to her by close of business on Wednesday (22nd January), outlining whatever alternative process they believe should be applied.

Meath West TD’s in war of words over Dail speaking rights - P17 >>