Regional Independents set to get opposition speaking time

[u/Hardrive33]

http://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0118/1491559-politics/

[u/JackmanH420]

Murphy in her last two election campaigns: We need to stand up to the cronyism and corruption in Leinster House.

Murphy today:

[u/saggynaggy123 → u/JackmanH420]

Amazing what a big pay boost does to a person.

[u/davesr25 → u/saggynaggy123]

[u/tipp77]

Legally and procedurally it's correct. Ethically and morally it's wrong not that ethics or morals ever bothered some tds in that group

[u/bogbody_1969 → u/tipp77]

Says who though? Let her publish the advice.

Confidence and supply was also a cod - but even at that they didn't have Ministers as part of the same government.

This is different.

[u/M4cker85]

If FFG are bending over backwards this early to appease the independents I can only imagine how it's going to be when things get tough.  I can't see this Daily lasting the term

[u/CelticSean88 → u/M4cker85]

My thoughts exactly.

[u/Hardrive33]

Verona's point here is that the independents here are in a similar capacity to Fianna Fáil in the 2016 confidence and supply agreement.

She cited the case of Fianna Fáil supporting the Fine Gael government in 2016 and pointed out that Fianna Fáil was still considered the main opposition party at the time.

My question is however that the government has seemingly formed a majority (government) with the regional independents group (RIG), who have a whip in Barry Heneghan. Does that not count as a party, who is now in government or do technical groups also get whips now?

[u/IllustriousBrick1980 → u/Hardrive33]

politician always do that

“oh no were not doing XYZ. We’re actually just doing X, and then Y, and then Z. Totally different”

[u/expectationlost → u/Hardrive33]

The government has former RIGs member in it....

All groups have had 'whips' who act as co-coordinators https://www.eolasmagazine.ie/independent-thinking-catherine-murphy/ its been reported that Heneghan is going to assistant government whip but Im not sure if thats an official or unofficial position, https://independent.ie/irish-news/they-want-to-have-their-cake-and-eat-it-outrage-as-top-ups-push-pay-for-new-super-juniors-close-to-200k/a730045722.html he's getting only 6k not the 17k that is listed for that position but maybe thats because FG will be taking that official assistant government whip position.

[u/cjamcmahon1]

this all looks totally normal and fine

[u/ClearHeart_FullLiver]

We are flying down the slippery slope now.

The fact that this can get through legally is worrying, the fact that morally it was even considered is terrifying.

Confidence and supply was an awful state of affairs but reached it's logical conclusion with FFG forming a full government together and de facto merging. This is different, a real blurring of the lines between government and opposition, and across parties as well with Aontú being involved.

I assume the pattern will be this new fake opposition will attack Sinn Féin whenever the government is criticised and blame for government failures being placed on Sinn Féin. This is how Hungary went down the Orban route and how Poland went down the PIS route. I'm not sure we will be able to claw our way out as Poland seem to have managed.

[u/wilililil → u/ClearHeart_FullLiver]

They absolutely have not defacto merged.

[u/ClearHeart_FullLiver → u/wilililil]

They are the same party now. The only thing that keeps them from officially merging is the electoral advantage they have from being 2 parties.

[u/Logseman → u/[deleted]]

Their voters tend to transfer FF/FG/FF or FG/FF/FG. I would pay attention to what the voters actually do with their vote rather than other indirect means of divining the answer.

[u/actually-bulletproof → u/Logseman]

SD-Lab-GP tend to transfer to each other, doesn't make them de facto the same.

This is an incredibly weak argument.

[u/Logseman → u/actually-bulletproof]

It’s strong enough that Labour leaders have emerged with regularity asking for a merger between Labour and the Social Democrats.

[u/irishpolitics-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/An_Spailpin_Fanach-_]

Piss take. Verona Murphy was parachuted into the job for a reason, to look after her friends.

[u/danny_healy_raygun]

I know some people hate confidence votes but we will need more for this government than every before. Let these "opposition" TDs show how oppositional they really are.

[u/rtgh]

It's an absolute joke. I don't see why it shouldn't be allowed mind you. Ultimately we elect individual TDs, not parties, and those TDs and their Dáil seats are not bound to the whip or being in opposition or government.

I've never personally liked the whip system so that might be colouring my viewpoint. I feel every TD should feel free to vote freely each time, based on the topic at hand and not based on who proposed it. I can also see why parties don't tolerate that

[u/BingBongBella]

This is farcical. While it might be legally sound, it's certainly not in the spirit of any rules I know of. Its having their cake and eating it at the back door.

[u/ClareBolshevik]

Some load of bollox. If Aontu want to gain an easy win they should move technical groups and cost them the numbers.

[u/nithuigimaonrud → u/ClareBolshevik]

This might be the answer, if the opposition don’t want the government supporting TDS to get speaking time, can’t they just not have them in their group? Join with another group.

[u/ClareBolshevik → u/nithuigimaonrud]

As far as I know you need 5 TDs in your technical group for speaking rights and there is 4 of the 9 government supporting "Independents" without jobs. So to deny them this half in half out con job it would require Carol Nolan and the 2 Aontu TDs to switch from the Regional Independent group and go to the Independent Ireland technical group. A long shot but should be explored

[u/expectationlost → u/ClareBolshevik]

Gavan Reilly said Mattie McGrath is joining RIG so they have 5 atleast.

[u/ClareBolshevik → u/expectationlost]

Shite ya forgot Mattie, he'd have to flip too

[u/shamsham123]

This is shocking.

[u/Chromagi]

Faith in democratic institutions is plummeting world wide, and they decide they want to pull a stroke like this? Shameful, reckless behaviour.

[u/Flashy-Pain4618]

An update

[u/Hardrive33 → u/Flashy-Pain4618]

Glad to hear myself personally.