Sinn Féin Chief Whip, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD, has welcomed tonight’s statement from the Ceann Comhairle that she cannot recognise the Regional Independents as an ‘opposition’ technical group.

He called on the government to now make provision for these government TDs to take their seats on the government benches, and to be allocated Dáil speaking time and committee positions from the government.

Teachta Mac Lochlainn said:

“This is a welcome statement from the Ceann Comhairle. The stand taken by the combined opposition has been vindicated: You cannot be in government and opposition at the same time.

“This is also a deeply embarrassing development for the government. They have fully backed Michael Lowry and his group of government supporting TDs over the last two weeks. The combined opposition have stood our ground and it’s clear that the Irish people overwhelmingly support us in defending the rights of the opposition in a democracy.

“This stroke and this charade must now end.

“An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and An Tánaiste Simon Harris must finally sort this mess out by allocating Dáil speaking time and committee positions to these government-supporting TDs just as they would to their own Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael back-benchers.”