Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle) | Oireachtas source

Before proceeding to the motions before us, I want to note for the information of the House that yesterday, after Leaders' Questions and during Questions on Policy or Legislation, it was stated that the Chair was not providing protection to the Government from Opposition heckling and interruptions. Given the considerable significance of that assertion to how I do my job, I undertook to review the record of what happened in the course of yesterday's business and, together with the Clerk of the Dáil, I have reviewed the record of yesterday's Leaders' Questions and Order of Business.

What we saw during that review was a typical session with interruptions and heckling from many sides. What I also saw was the now normal habit of some leaders ignoring the Chair, its requests and its remonstrations. Reverting to the Chair only when the temperature rises in the Chamber in light of the forgoing is, in my view, understandably futile and unfair. I, therefore, reject outright the claim made against the Chair and I exhort Members to co-operate to the fullest with us.

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