O’Callaghan hits out at Tóibín and “Schrodinger’s Independents”

With the new government being backed up by independent TDs, confusion has broken out over which independent TDs are backing the government and which independent TDs are sitting on the opposition benches.

With confirmation that the next government will be backed up by a number of independents, a further row has broken out as some TDs who are looking to back the government over the next Dáil term are now looking to gain the same speaking time as the opposition.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan said the situation is a “power grab” by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and is a case of “having your cake and eating it” by the independents who are in the centre of the speaking time row.

In a statement on Monday, O’Callaghan said “it is outrageous that Regional Independent TDs, who negotiated a programme for government and intend to wholeheartedly support the incoming administration, are attempting to hijack opposition speaking time in the Dáil.”

O’Callaghan, serving as acting leader of the Social Democrats, has now accused Aontú leader Peader Tóibín of facilitating the row.

Aontú’s two TDs (Tóibín and the newly-elected Mayo TD Paul Lawless) are a part of the Regional Independent TD bloc in the Dáil, with just five TDs needed to grant a group speaking time in the Dáil.

Should Tóibín and Lawless walk, this would mean the Regional Independent group would no longer meet the Dáil requirements to form a speaking group.

Re-elected independent TD Paul Gogarty, for example, is in a speaking group with members of Independent Ireland and their 4 TDs while People Before Profit/Solidarity’s 3 TDs are in a speaking group with left-wing independents such as Catherine Connolly.

O’Callaghan said “this farce could come to an immediate end if Aontú, whose two TDs are in the Regional Independent Group, left that grouping. This would bring the number of TDs in that group below the threshold of five TDs, which secures Dáil speaking rights.”

Dubbing the government supporting TDs who want opposition speaking time as “Schrodinger’s Independents,” he said the affair is” an attempt to weaken the opposition and amounts to an attack on our democracy.”

“Peadar Tóibín is ordinarily highly critical of stroke politics and claims to be committed to accountability. Yet, his inaction is facilitating a situation in which de facto government backbench TDs are masquerading as members of the opposition,” he said.

“The Social Democrats will be vigorously opposing any attempt by Regional Independent TDs to join the Opposition benches. We will be making a joint submission, to the Ceann Comhairle, with other Opposition parties outlining the errors in her legal advice.”

“We do not, for example, accept that there is any precedent for this undemocratic power grab by any incoming government,” the Dublin Bay North TD said with fellow Dublin Bay North TD Barry Heneghan part of the independent bloc who are embroiled in the row.

“However, this is a problem that has a simple and straightforward solution. Deputy Tóibín living up to his rhetoric on accountability and ending this charade today.”

On Saturday, a statement from the Dáil read “in the interest of transparency, the Ceann Comhairle has taken the unusual step of writing to the members of the Business Committee to afford them the opportunity to respond to the points as outlined in her correspondence.”

“The Ceann Comhairle is cognisant that all considerations with regard to and in connection with this particular matter should be on the public record. Utmost in her consideration is that any decision made will be taken having regard to members’ submissions and will be non-partisan and lawful.”

As part of the new government deal, independent TD Verona Murphy was installed as Ceann Comhairle before Christmas, and in her role as Ceann Comhairle, the resolution of the speaking time row now rests with her.