Politics watch: Neither side backing down in Dáil speaking rights row
James Cox
Here, we have a look at the issues likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.
Opposing narratives in speaking rights row
The Dáil speaking rights row is the big issue in Irish politics right now and neither side is backing down.
Nine Independent TDs support the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael government – seven from the Regional Independent Group and two Co Kerry brothers Michael and Danny Healy-Rae. Five of the nine are ministers of state.
The other four Independents, including Michael Lowry who led the regional group in the programme for government negotiations with the two coalition parties, want to be part of a Dáil technical group, which would give them speaking slots during opposition time.
Opposition parties have been united in their fight against the proposal.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has insisted they will not back down, and the party is seeking legal advice on the matter.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has tried to suggest it is not an issue the public care about, but it certainly continues to dominate attention and has meant the new government started on a sour note.
Efforts to appoint Mr Martin as taoiseach two weeks ago were delayed by a day after opposition parties disrupted proceedings in protest over the speaking time dispute.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Martin said there were “fundamental principles” involved.
He said that since 1932, opposition TDs had been supporting governments.
He added: “We have to accept one basic principle, groups have a right to form.
“No political party can tell another group they can’t form a group.
“It is a basic principle of freedom of association within the Dáil.
“I am worried about the Sinn Féin approach that it is either this or nothing.”
Junior ministeries
The Government has completed its list of 23 junior ministers, a record number.
Dublin Fine Gael TD Colm Brophy will take up the new role of Minister of State for Migration.
Robert Troy, who resigned amid controversy over regulatory filings in 2022, returns as a junior minister at the Department of Finance.
Former minister for agriculture Charlie McConalogue (Fianna Fáil), who was demoted, takes up the position of super junior minister with responsibility for sport and postal policy.
Fine Gael's Neale Richmond will be Tánaiste Simon Harris' junior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth, who had been linked with a senior ministerial role, is junior minister with responsibility for trade promotion, artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
Kerry Independent Michael Healy-Rae is a junior minister with special responsibility for forestry, farm safety and horticulture.
The gender balance in Cabinet was criticised with only three women named as senior ministers, and opposition politicians have also been critical of the figure of six female junior ministers.
Opposition parties have also claimed that the attendance of four 'super junior' ministers at Cabinet could be "unconstitutional".
A Sinn Féin TD, Patrick “Pa” Daly, has made the claim in High Court legal proceedings.
Abroad
The US and Mexico have said planned tariffs are on hold for a month to give time for further negotiations, and Mexico said it plans to deploy 10,000 members of its national guard to address drug trafficking at the border.
Meanwhile, staff at the US Agency for International Development (USAid) have been instructed to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters after billionaire Elon Musk announced president Donald Trump had agreed with him that the body should close.
In the UK, prime minister Keir Starmer has become the first British leader to join an EU meeting since Brexit.
The UK is also bracing itself for potential US tariffs.