Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

To be very clear for the record, we only learned that these folks would be denied their speaking rights just before 15 September. We immediately raised that with both the whip's office and with the office of the Ceann Comhairle, in some detail, as he is aware. When the Fianna Fáil leader became aware, he did not make any representations on this. We did this properly and by the book. We understand that the Ceann Comhairle is caught in a bind. I think it is like a Greek tragedy in that we are going to have a situation in which we are discussing Brexit with the European Parliament's co-ordinator and have brought together the three committees and there are going to be folks from those committees who normally speak who, for whatever reason, are going to be denied their right to speak. It makes it clear in the letter from the Office of the Ceann Comhairle that this House cannot decide otherwise.

See this speech in context