Irish Opposition Declares No Confidence in Speaker Verona Murphy Over Speaking Rights Row

The opposition accuses Murphy of partisanship after the government pushed through changes reducing opposition speaking time, further stalling Dáil operations.

Opposition leaders formally declared no confidence in Speaker Verona Murphy, citing her handling of the vote on controversial speaking rights changes.
The government passed new rules granting speaking slots to coalition-aligned independents and reducing opposition time, sparking accusations of undermining accountability.
The dispute has stalled parliamentary operations, including the formation of committees necessary for legislative progress.
Michael Lowry, a government-aligned independent with a history of corruption findings, has become a focal point of criticism in the controversy.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended the changes as minor and accused the opposition of creating chaos and intimidating Murphy, while opposition leaders insist the changes erode democratic processes.