Laois TD responds to ruling on Michael Lowry's Dáil grouping that will hit Offaly TD

Laois independent TD Brian Stanley has welcomed as 'common sense' the Dáil ruling that will have implications for his former colleague in Sinn Féin and now fellow independent Carol Nolan.

Dep Stanley has issued a statement following the ruling by the Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy that the Regional Independent Group, of which she was formerly aligned to, cannot be part of the Opposition in the Dáil.

Most of the Group signed up for the Programme for Government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael after Tipperary TD Michael Lowry led negotiations on behalf of the Group. 

“I welcome the decision from the Ceann Comhairle which allows us to get on with the business that we have been elected to do, to represent our constituencies and deal with Dáil legislation.

"We have had a ludicrous situation for the last couple of weeks, with a group of four government ministers, and four others from the Regional Independent Group who negotiated a program for government, trying to be in opposition and in government at the same time.

"They have claimed credit for having their proposals included in the program for government, voted to elect the cabinet ministers and Taoiseach and pledged publicly to support that government for the next five years. To then claim that they could somehow be part of the opposition and use opposition speaking time in the Dail, was an attempt to stand logic and democracy on its head," he said.

He commended that decision by his former Public Accounts Committee Collegue and Verona Murphy who was elected as Ceann Comhairle following significant input and support from Michael Lowry and other members of the Regional independents group.

"It is great that common sense has prevailed and that Dáil rules have been upheld. We now need to get on with the job,” he said.

The decision will have implications for Dep Stanley's former Sinn Féin colleague Carol Nolan who is an Offaly TD but represented Laois Offaly between 2020 and 2024 as an independent when she secured a substantial number of votes in Laois.

Deputy Nolan is a member of the Regional Group of Independents but is not one of the four members who negotiated or supported the Programme for Government.

“I can assure my supporters that while I will work collaboratively and constructively with my Regional colleagues, I will always place the interests of Offaly and our country first. I can also guarantee those who have entrusted me with their votes that my voice will not be tamed by an uncritical allegiance to any party or future Government formation,” Deputy Nolan said previously. 

Dep Stanley is one of eight TDs in the Independents and Smaller Parties Group. The technical group is made up of three People Before Profit–Solidarity, three independents, one 100% Redress representative a the Green's sole representative in Leinster House.

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The three PBP-Solidarity TDs are Richard Boyd Barrett, Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy. All are Dublin-based. Tipperary South TD Seamus Healy and Catherine Connolly of Galway West, are the other independents. Charles Ward of the 100% Redress party represents Donegal and was elected on a mica platform. Green Party leader and former minister Roderic O'Gorman is also in the group. More below picture.

The Independents and Smaller Parties Group of which Laois TD Brian Stanley is a member.

Technical groups are formed for technical reasons so that members enjoy certain rights or benefits that would otherwise remain unavailable to them outside a formally recognized parliamentary group.

The Technical Groups were at the centre of a major row in the Dáil which delayed the election of Michaél Martin as Taoiseach. The Regional Independent Group which has TDs in Government wanted to sit on the opposition side of the Chamber to guarantee them speaking rights.

Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath was in the group but had not signed up to the Programme for Government.