John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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A Cheann Comhairle, on a point of order, I ask the Taoiseach if he would be prepared to mediate on this impasse.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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None of us in the Technical Group wants to have this disruption to the Dáil.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry, would the Deputy please resume his seat? This is not a point of order.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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We would appreciate if-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is not a point of order.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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-----the Taoiseach were prepared to meet a number of members of the Technical Group-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Would the Deputy please resume his seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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-----to have our grievances explained to him and then we would agree to allow the Dáil to continue.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Would the Deputy please resume his seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I ask the Taoiseach, please-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Clerk of the Dáil has written to Deputy Catherine Murphy.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I am making an attempt-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Would the Deputy please resume his seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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With respect, a Cheann Comhairle, I am making an attempt-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Would the Deputy please resume his seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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-----to form some sort of solution to this.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Would the Deputy please resume his seat? I have already spoken to Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan and I explained everything to her.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I am making an appeal to the Taoiseach. I ask the Taoiseach if he would agree-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan came to my office and I explained everything to her.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Will you allow the Taoiseach to respond?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is nothing to do with the Taoiseach with the greatest of respect. This is a matter for the order of the House.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Will you allow the Taoiseach to respond?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will you please resume your seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I am only asking you to allow the Taoiseach to respond.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am asking the Deputy again.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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So I can cut to the chase on this, I will not resume my seat.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Deputy please resume his seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I will not resume my seat. Will the Taoiseach respond?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy again to resume his seat. If he wishes to be thrown out, I will oblige him.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Will the Ceann Comhairle allow the Taoiseach to respond?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Deputy resume his seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Will the Ceann Comhairle allow the Taoiseach to respond? This is not a dictatorship. It is just a reasonable request. We are trying to sort this out. We do not want this to continue like this. Will the Taoiseach facilitate a meeting with two members of the Technical Group?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I have dealt with this matter through Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan. If the Deputy would like to consult her, she understands perfectly well what is involved.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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It is a reasonable request. Will the Ceann Comhairle allow the Taoiseach to respond?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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This is a matter for the Order of the House. It is not a matter not the Government.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Except that it was interpreted in a different way a year ago.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am in the fortunate or unfortunate position to be dealing with this issue but it is a matter for Standing Orders and the Order of the House. The Deputy knows he is totally out of order.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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As a mark of respect and in an attempt to defuse this situation, will the Ceann Comhairle please allow the Taoiseach to respond?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputy does not want to get himself removed from the House, I ask him once again to resume his seat.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I appeal to the Ceann Comhairle to allow the Taoiseach to respond to the question I have asked him on behalf of the Technical Group. It is a reasonable question. Whatever the Taoiseach says, I will agree with him.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is not a matter for the Taoiseach.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I want to put one question to him on behalf of the Technical Group.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I endorse the Ceann Comhairle's comments, as a member of a group. Parliament should run Parliament. I mean no disrespect to anyone.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Yes. Will Deputy Halligan please resume his seat? I call Deputy Barry Cowen on the Order of Business.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I appeal to the Ceann Comhairle again to allow the Taoiseach to respond briefly.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is obviously playing a few games.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I am not playing any game. I spoke to the Taoiseach earlier to defuse this situation.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputy does not resume his seat, I will ask him to leave the House.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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None of us wants to be suspended from the Dáil. We have speaking time this week and we do not want to be suspended from the Dáil-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will ask the Deputy to leave the House if he does not resume his seat.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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-----but we have to stand our ground-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputy will not leave the House voluntarily, I will have to name him. Will he resume his seat?

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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The Ceann Comhairle is attempting to undermine the speaking time and rights of the Technical Group. He is attempting to appoint himself as chairperson of the Technical Group. We will not allow him to do that. I appeal to the Taoiseach to intervene in this and allow a meeting-----