The Dail has been adjourned until tomorrow morning, with Michael Martin’s election as Taoiseach on hold for 24 hours.
This morning, opposition TDs revolted over plans to adjourn for two weeks after the election of a Taoiseach, and also the decision to allow independents supporting the government participate in a technical group intended for members of the opposition.
It had been thought at 4 o’clock that some compromise had been reached, particularly after Peader Toibin and his Aontu colleague left that group.
However, when the Dail resumed, the Ceann Comhaire invited Deputy Albert Dolan to propose Michael Martin as Taoiseach, despite the fact that Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald was on her feet.
That led to strenuous interventions from her Donegal based colleagues Pearse Doherty and Padraig MacLochlainn, with several opposition TDs taking to their feet as Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy adjopurned the Dail until 9 o’clock tomorrow morning………..
Tanaiste Micheal Martin says it was ‘a subversion of the Constitution’.
He was critical that there wasn’t a vote to elect him as Taoiseach:
