Michael Collins: Warns Government Move Will Erode Dáil Democracy

Thank you very much, Glyn Cora. Taoiseach, today, if we go ahead with government proposals on giving extra times for government-backing TDs in an opposition time, it shows how far this government is capable of going in relation to eroding the democracy of the island of Ireland. Taoiseach, our general election took place on November 29, 2024, and for a couple of months, the government had to be put together. On January 22, the Dáil stood for the first time to be forced to call off Dáil proceedings so an agreement could be made to bring this speaking row to an end. All of this time, Taoiseach, we, the Opposition, were united on one front, that Michael Lowry's group had a right to speaking times in this Dáil, but not on opposition time, and every effort since has been to do everything but that by government. On the morning of the 23rd of January, you, Taoiseach, and the Township met with us leaders to end this row and let the Dáil get back to the business it had to do. Elected Taoiseach, set up committees. We all agreed that we would work together to create a solution on this hugely important issue for this country. Less than an hour later, Minister Hildegard-Nachlan read the statement into the Dáil record, agreed by you and the Taoiseach and all the opposition, that the government will today bring forward a motion to establish the committee on standing orders and Dáil reform and to work to secure agreement as soon as possible and acceptable to the government and the opposition as regards to technical groups. The business committee met that day and agreed we would all put forward submissions on a way forward. Again, the opposition were clear. We never denied any speaking times to Michael Lowry's group of six TDs, but it would be specifically during government speaking time slots. Not opposition, as they have clearly agreed to support this government one way or another, which is their own prerogative, I may add. The next scheduled Dáil reform meeting was scheduled for February 26. At this meeting came the bomb trail by Chief Whip Mary Butler that the previous verbal agreement given by you and the Tarnasher, read out by the Minister Hildegard-Nachlan, was now being reneged on, and a railroading of democracy was now going ahead. Taoiseach, you will say to me today, when summing up, we had enough time to try and get an agreement from the opposition, but you would not agree. But in fact, since the day you were elected, we had only two Dáil reform meetings to try and resolve this issue. In 28 days, I know, as I have attended these meetings, Taoiseach, I ask you, are you a man of your word or not? Do you agree with me that this was a sequence of events? And am I right in saying, if you really wanted to bring this to a fair and honest end, you would have asked your Chief Whip to meet every day to resolve the issue, and not two meetings. One turned out the procedures for the next meeting, and the next to Railroad 2, making a mockery of this House and its procedures. Taoiseach, we have written to you numerous times to try and resolve this issue, and to make sure this dark day for democracy would not happen, but you have chosen to ignore us. Will you, at this late stage, sit down with the opposition leaders, and trash out an agreement to bring this sorry episode to an end, Taoiseach? I think such hyperbole is really stretching it. I mean, the bottom line is this, is that three of the opposition parties gain more time now, in terms of holding the government to account. That's the factual position, as a result of 20 hours of discussions and so forth, between the Chief Whip and the Whips of the other parties, and also in terms of the Doyle Reform Committee. And that's the mechanism that we've established, in terms of the Doyle Reform Committee itself. And what I would say to you, Deputy, is, from your perspective, you're not losing any time. You're not, compared to the last Doyle, you're actually gaining time. And that's the bottom line here. You'll have your chance. I would say this goes to democracy. That was raised earlier. This is Deputy Collins' question. If you compare Doyle Ayrton to any other parliament in Europe, you will find that the opposition has more time than any other opposition in any other parliament across Europe. And certainly in terms of the Prime Minister across Europe, no Prime Minister is in Doyle Ayrton more than the Irish Taoiseach. And these can be checked out and looked at in terms of other parliaments across Europe. So this proposal is proportionate, because it's endeavouring to give backbench TDs of the government parties and independent TDs an opportunity, eight minutes, on a Tuesday or on a Wednesday. So all this row, the dark day of Irish democracy, is about eight minutes extra on a Tuesday, eight minutes extra on a Wednesday. And this apparently, we're on the brink of a terrible sort of negativity and so on like that. And so, deputies... Deputies... Over the last ten years, there's been a consistent incremental increase in time allocated to smaller groups within the Doyle, to independents within the Doyle. I mean, there's a group on the far left, they have about three or four, and they have more speaking rights than anybody with 40 TDs or more and so on like that. And that's been the reality over the last ten years. And there does need to be a degree of rebalancing. And backbench TDs do need the opportunity to ask questions as well. Deputies, please... And there's no big deal in that. And it doesn't in any way, because the big demand from you at the beginning, when we met with you, as you outlined, the big issue is you didn't want to lose any time. You have not lost any time. You've actually gained time across the opposition groups themselves. It's Deputy Collins' time. And it's interesting. I've made a fundamental point. When a general election happens, Deputy, and you know this, because you've engaged with us on different times after different elections, governments have to be formed. There is the realpolitik of forming a government. Governments have to be formed. Okay? Some people have no interest in forming a government. Fair enough. But others do. And the programme for government... Deputies, please... The programme for government is the document that binds people who are going to support the government together. But I would make this point. Underlying all of this, and Deputy, you know, in a certain extent you said we could have brought this to an end. I actually don't think the opposition really want to bring this to an end. But you're enjoying it a bit for your own electoral purposes. Thank you. Deputy Collins to respond. But I want to make this point strategically... Oh, sorry. Deputy Collins. Thank you very much, Cian Corleone. It looks like no matter what we say here, you are going to railroad through these changes. It is very clear to the good, honest, hard-working people of this country that this is what you are going to do anyway. You have to be straight and honest, Cian Corleone. What is the deal you have done with Michael Lowry that has you spellbound? We know the deal has cost over 5 million already with extra super junior ministers, extra junior ministers, and extra payments for them alone over five years. Is it going to cost the honest, hard-working taxpayer 50 million, 100 million, 200 million or plus? We need to know. The taxpayer needs to know. The ordinary man and woman who can't afford to pay bills weekly need to know here and now. They know it's a sleazy deal that taxpayers must pay heavy. And on top of that, you want them to ask planted questions in this house to make a mockery of the Irish people in Dollywood. I ask you again, come clean on the deal that might yet crumble around you and pull back from the mockery of the Irish people who are not with you on this one. Admit you have cut 45 minutes of Taoiseach's questions. Will you admit you have cut the order of business time? Will you admit you have cut private members of our own party for 20% on Wingses and Thurses? This Lowry deal has cost us enough Taoiseach financially in this country. Don't let it cost us our democracy office. Thank you, Deputy Chair. Taoiseach. Taoiseach. Deputies. You can't be serious. Costing our democracy. Eight minutes. Eight minutes on a Tuesday and our democracy is gone. Please. Please. I don't come on. It's farce. But I think in a more serious vein through the young girl. Deputy. What's really behind this as well. Deputy. And it's very clear that the opposition Deputy, resume your seat. Deputy, resume your seat. This is Deputy Collins' time. Deputy, I'm afraid the fundamental issue here is your lack of respect for the Chair. The salient ruling. You're making an absolute holy show of yourselves. I am loath to say, You are making an absolute holy show of yourselves and I am loath to say again, resume your seat Deputy, whilst you may not, have respect for me They need to explain why they are breaking their word to the opposition They told us all the day on the floor here He has made the commitment that it would be an agreement Tell us now why you are breaking your word What did that guy do to you is in between Deputy, Deputy, resume your seat It is not for you, hold me out It is not for you, it is not for you It is not for you It is not for you For the public watching, you are making a holy One of your colleagues mentioned misogyny Misogyny is what was mentioned earlier It is not for you It is not for you I am right But to see it I amdown Ch 인정 It is not for you Prem This is a disgrace. This is a disgrace. It's a disgrace. This is not a disgrace. This is a disgrace. This is a disgrace. This is a disgrace for the government. We are not listening to the opposition. Not this way. This is a disgrace. This is an absolute appalling of the town of New York City. This is a disgrace. We are just running on the sand. You haven't answered the question, do you think, do you, a disgrace, an absolute disgrace. You're making a holy show of yourselves for the world to see. You're making a hook. It's very clear you have no respect for the chair. None whatsoever. On one hand, you will be aware that the public are watching and on one hand you want this. On one hand, you wish the government to have respect for the Count Carla's ruling, while you yourselves are seemingly incapable of accepting this. Deputies, I am going to remain standing until each and every one of you resumes. We're moving on. That's the end of leaders' questions. That's the end of leaders' questions and we now move to the vote. In accordance with Standing Order 35, I now call on the Chief Whip, Mary Butler, to move from the arrangement of this weekend's period. I move. Resume your seats. Resume your seats. Resume your seats. You're farcical. This is absolutely farcical. You can all stand up. This is farcical. We will move. We will move for the Chief Whip to move the order of business. Movements of this week's business agreed to agree. The order of business has been agreed to. I adjourn the House. The house stands adjourned. You