Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have two points to add to the comments made by my Government colleagues. The first is that we are temporary custodians of the processes and standards that were built before our time in the House. The Ceann Comhairle is a constitutional officeholder who was elected by the Dáil. It is disproportionate to have a motion of confidence if the only issue is the way in which she took a vote. She commenced a process a number of weeks ago whereby she invited submissions on speaking rights. Before the timeline had expired for those submissions to be made and for her to make an adjudication, a determination had been made by Members opposite.

The second point is that as well as being temporary custodians of the standards of this House, we are also democrats, and the first rule of democracy is being able to count. None of us would be here without being able to count. The Government has a majority because our numbers reflect the majority vote of the people. We cannot operate this House without respecting the basic rules of democracy. If there is a vote, we must respect its outcome. What really worries me is the language of the Leader of the Opposition, which is not reflective of that of previous Leaders, including Enda Kenny and others. She said that irrespective of the outcome of the vote on this motion, the Ceann Comhairle's position is not tenable and her credibility is in tatters. That statement represents a failure to recognise the democratic outcome of this process. It sets a tone from which we will not be able to come back. We are custodians and democrats. I urge the Leader of the Opposition to retract her comments.

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