In this Chamber, we talk a lot about accountability but we know this Government, made up of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Lowry group, has shown itself to be absolutely allergic to accountability. In the election campaign, both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael told us they would hit a figure of 40,000 homes, even though they were told repeatedly by their own experts that this figure was a massive overinflation. They persisted with it. Even today, they cannot find even a scrap of humility to admit they were telling untruths. Their past performance tells us they need to be held firmly to account because they will be off with more fibs, more untruths or whatever word you want to put on it, the moment they get the chance. That is why the job of the Ceann Comhairle is particularly important in this Dáil and the impartiality and fairness of that role must be absolute. The appointment of the Ceann Comhairle was the subject of some horse-trading by all accounts. Of course, until the Lowry deal is published, we will not know the price taxpayers will have to pay for her to get the job but we do know, as a result of this deal, the Lowry group got their woman in. In attempting to ram through the farce that the Lowry group can be in opposition and government at the same time, some people say the Ceann has proved her worth to the Government. My colleague, an Teachta Mary Lou McDonald, put on the record the views of Deputy Lowry himself, the "political manoeuvring", as he called it, that had to be undertaken and all of that, we know, was done in secret. The question we have asked and asked again remains unanswered. Is there no limit to the lengths this Government will go to protect Deputy Lowry and the grubby little deal? He has given a very clear two-fingered salute to the Dáil and to the people in it. Last week, we saw his contempt writ large, and the response is to give him extra speaking time. All of this was facilitated by the Ceann Comhairle. It is patently absurd to suggest that any TD can be in opposition and government at the same time-----

Sentiment score: 0.03

-----and all of the changes to Standing Orders in the world will not alter that fact. To collude in an absurdity like that does the Office of the Ceann Comhairle no favours and I suspect the Ceann Comhairle knows that herself. The actual Opposition has tabled an amendment to the motion and I urge Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and indeed, the Lowry group, to consider this amendment, which simply recognises the fact that if the Ceann Comhairle is to fulfil her obligations under Standing Order 10, she should retain the confidence of both the Government and the Opposition. Surely, that is the minimum we can expect. The label "do nothing Government" has been attached, quite rightly, to this Government. While they have achieved very little beyond pay rises for themselves and jobs for the boys, they have succeeded in one thing; they have shown the Opposition can come together and act collectively when we need to.

Sentiment score: 0.27