Meath West TDs in spat over Dail speaking rights

Aontu leader, Peadar Toíbín has been called on "to own" the fact that he was complicit in "the government’s farcical arrangement that has led to the ongoing row over Dáil speaking rights."

Following chaotic scenes in the Dail yesterday, Deputy Tóibín was vocal in his opposition to government changes in speaking rights and called for mediation between the government and the opposition.

However, Deputy Johnny Guirke was quick to point out that Deputy Tóibíin had been "happy to support the government’s grubby deal with Michael Lowry’s lackeys."

“Peadar Tóibín this week said he wants to see mediation between the government and opposition to resolve the row over Dáil speaking rights.

“In all of his comments, he failed to acknowledge his complicity in this farce, which has been dragging on for two months now.

“The fact of the matter is that Peadar Tóibín was happy to support the grubby deal between Michael Lowry’s lackeys and the government.

“Peadar Tóibín sought to form a technical group with the Lowry group of independents, and it was only after he was called out for doing so that he left the Regional Independent technical group.

“That’s where this row started, and Peadar has to own that,” said Deputy Guirke.

Deputy Tóibín had stated that Aontú would oppose the government’s speaking rights changes and called for immediate mediation between the government and opposition to achieve a solution.

He said the government were riding roughshod over the Dáil. "There is an authoritarian element to the government’s plans. The government seek to introduce a hybrid system where there are three designations, two of which support the government. The government have a majority within the Dáil and now they want a majority of the designations also. The government will also control who asks them the questions. This is a farce, government support TDs have already full access to government Ministers. Indeed there is usually a side deal of some sort that has initiated the support of many of these TDs in the first place. This is a radical change. We are calling on the government to stop. We are calling for immediate mediation between the government and the opposition to achieve a solution.

“The fact that this process has stymied the operation of the Dail is incredible. We have a parliament that is paralysed. A legislature that can legislate. We have a Trade and Tariff War looming large threatening our economy, a housing crisis where prices are spiking and supply is tightening, Garda stations without Gardaí and 817 vacancies across HSE children’s disability network. Aontú will oppose the government’s proposals to change the speaking rights within the Dail”.

Deputy Tóibín pointed out that Aontu had refused to go into Government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and absolutely rejects a suggestion they involved in a grubby deal.

"We totally refused to negotiate a deal to go into government" he said. "But Sinn Fein had looked to negotiate going into government with FF and FG."

I am surprised that Deputy Guirke is deflecting attention from what is going on by trying to create a fight among the opposition. "Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will love him for that ," he said.