Statement from Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan on the government’s decision to ram through changes to Dáil speaking rights on Tuesday, March 25:
“The government is determined to ram through outrageous changes to Dáil speaking rights on Tuesday without any Dáil debate.
“It is completely unprecedented for any government to refuse to facilitate a Dáil debate before a vote – especially when the Opposition are united in calling for one.
“The text of the Standing Orders the government wants to ram though, to give the Lowry Group the same speaking rights as Opposition leaders, was only circulated for the first time last night.
“There has never been a Dáil debate on them or on this issue. Despite this, the government wants to upend decades of parliamentary practice and give its own backbench supporters the same speaking rights as the Opposition.
“This is a brazen and arrogant attack on democratic norms and the proper functioning of the Dáil, which is being done with the express purpose of reducing the Opposition’s ability to hold the government to account.
“I would appeal to the government now to step back from the brink.”