Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I return to the change to Standing Orders that was rammed through yesterday. I have no doubt it was carefully choreographed and directed by the Taoiseach and the Government. That happened notwithstanding a solemn promise given by the former Government Chief Whip that the Government would work with the Opposition to come to an acceptable solution. The Government did the complete opposite. Instead of coming up with a solution, it used the situation. The change it brought was the result of an Opposition that was as united as I have ever seen in stating that what the Government was doing in giving the Deputy Michael Lowry group time was unacceptable. In the guise of changing that, the Government took away the time for Taoiseach's Questions. That time was halved and the Taoiseach is no longer accountable on the second sitting day of the week. The time for the Order of Business was reduced by 50%. The Government took away 22 minutes of Private Members' time to give to the groups. It gave priority questions. On every level, the Government misused the opportunity to deal in an agreeable way with the Opposition. It is a serious issue. Not only that, but the Taoiseach twisted language on its head and put the Ceann Comhairle in a most invidious position.

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