“A new low in the behaviour of the opposition” is how the Taoiseach has characterised Tuesday’s events in the Dáil, reports Breaking News.
Micheál Martin said in a statement issued Tuesday night that “my attempts to answer were constantly and systematically interrupted and shouted down, despite listening respectfully to the questions posed by opposition deputies.”
It was “nothing less than a premeditated attempt to suppress the rights of others to speak, and to bully and intimidate the Ceann Comhairle,” according to the Fianna Fáil leader, reports Breaking News.
“The prolonged barracking, and the disgraceful lack of respect for the mandates of elected deputies was shocking in its intensity”.
“From day one, I believe many in opposition were focused only on undermining the newly-elected government, with the aim of pressurising independent deputies to withdraw their support and reduce the Dáil majority,” Mr Martin said, reports Breaking News.
A “fundamental duty of the Dáil” is to form a government after a general election, he continued.
“As leader of Fianna Fáil, I played a fundamental role in the formation of governments in 2016 through the Confidence and Supply agreement, and again with the coalition agreements of 2020 and 2024″ In contrast, the actions of opposition have been completely disproportionate over what is essentially an additional eight minutes of speaking time on two days in the Dail,” he said in the statement, reports Breaking News.
“The opposition have not lost a single minute of their time or ability to hold government to account”, reports Breaking News.
The Taoiseach said that in the upcoming weeks, the Dáil would have to debate and enact legislation on “many serious and profound issues,” including “protecting our economy and jobs, building homes, and improving disability services, notwithstanding the global challenges,” reports Breaking News.
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