Dáil: Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy Faces Risk of Vote of No Confidence
Wexford TD Verona Murphy, the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, sees her position at the helm of parliamentary proceedings threatened by a vote of no confidence from Opposition leaders. This emerges after her decision to push through a vote on controversial changes to speaking rights amid chaotic scenes in the Dáil yesterday.
Murphy’s appointment as Ceann Comhairle has been controversial and her position has been contested during parliamentary debates. Yesterday’s session of the Dáil was suspended early amid rowdy behaviour, shouting and heckling. Verona Murphy told TDs they were “making an absolute show of themselves” and that they had “no respect for the chair”.
In a statement last night, Taoiseach Micheál Martin claimed the scenes in the Dáil “marked a new low in the behaviour of the Opposition”.
As a consequence, the Opposition leaders announced the Ceann Comhairle that they have no confidence in her. “You need to go” declared Sinn Féin leader Mary-Lou McDonald this morning before adding “Ceann Comhairle, not alone have you lost the confidence of the entire opposition; you have, in fact, decimated it. The Dáil cannot function properly whilst you remain in the chair. Above all the Ceann Comhairle must be impartial, fair and independent, and by your actions you have demonstrated that you are not. Your position is therefore untenable.”
The Opposition have given Verona Murphy until the end of the week to resign or else face a no confidence motion next week.
