Two Fingers Furore in Dáil Éireann – March 26th, 2025

The Dáil had to be suspended yesterday as the row over speaking rights to independent TDs, who support the government but want designated time to question the coalition, rages on. Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae is one of the independents who now qualify for this speaking time as it was passed in the Dáil yesterday. 0pposition parties say it’s wrong to allocate opposition speaking time to TDs who support the government. The new speaking time allocation will also allow backbench Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael deputies question the government. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said this was stroke politics and would not allow the government to be held to account. The Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the opposition was completely disproportionate in their response over what he said was an additional eight minutes of speaking time on two days in the Dail. The image that went viral from yesterday’s chaos was Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry of the Rural Independent Group – who was at the heart of the deal that independents made with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael  - giving a two-finger gesture to Paul Murphy of People Before Profit. Jerry spoke to Deputy Danny Healy-Rae and Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry, Michael Cahill. Jerry also spoke to Fionnán Sheehan, Ireland editor with the Irish Independent.