Sinn Féin will oppose what it called "disgraceful" plans to adjourn the Dáil for a full two weeks after the Government is formally elected tomorrow.
It will be proposed that after tomorrow's sitting, when Micheál Martin is expected to be elected as Taoiseach and ministers will be appointed, the Dáil will be adjourned until 5 February.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty told RTÉ News that TDs should be discussing the issues that are affecting people across the country.
"Anybody who got up this morning to go to work, whether they are working on the factory floor, or in our schools or hospitals will actually think this is a farce," he said.
"We have not had a functioning government, we haven’t been able to hold ministers to account for over three months now.
"Despite coming off protracted and lengthy recess during the Christmas break, we have now heard that we will meet for a couple of hours tomorrow and then go into another recess for a week.
"That is not acceptable. It is not acceptable in my view to the workers of Ireland, to people who are hard-pressed, and we will oppose that again tomorrow.
"We should be meeting next week and we should be discussing the issues that are addressing and concerning people right across the length and breadth of this State," he said.
A Government spokesperson dismissed this as "empty bluster".
They said: "It has been a long-standing principle of the Dáil that, other than in exceptional circumstances, a short recess follows the appointment of a new government."
"The reason for it is clear; before you can expect a new minister to answer questions or handle legislation, they should have time to get to know their department and the issues involved.
"This is empty bluster from some in the opposition, to demand that ministers should not spend any time studying issues before answering to the Dáil."
Opposition urges Murphy not to allow TDs join group
Meanwhile, opposition parties and TDs have formally written to the Ceann Comhairle strongly urging her not to allow four TDs who support the government to become part of a Dáil technical group.
The group would give Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole and Danny Healy-Rae speaking time from the opposition benches.
A joint submission from Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, PBP-Solidarity, the Green Party, Independent Ireland, the 100% Redress Party and the Independents' Group, argues that the Regional Independent TDs cannot be allowed to "run with the hare and hunt with the hound".
The submission states that the Regional Independent TDs are not members of the opposition because they participated in government formation talks with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
It adds that they contributed to and endorsed the text of the Programme for Government in agreement with those parties, that group members are to become junior ministers in that government including some who will sit at the cabinet.
Furthermore, the opposition parties contend that the lead negotiator and other members of the group have publicly placed themselves as participating in and supporting the government.
They also reject Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy's legal advice which found that the Fianna Fáil position during the "confidence and supply" arrangement from 2016 to 2020 has set a precedent.
The opposition statement said the key difference is that Fianna Fáil was not party to the Programme for Government back then, and the agreement acknowledged that Fianna Fáil would remain as an independent party in opposition.
The move to allow Independent TDs supporting the government to speak from the opposition benches will proceed tomorrow, but only on a temporary basis.
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy told TDs that she would consider submissions opposing this plan, but permitted the group to "provisionally" take its place in the Dáil chamber tomorrow morning.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also spoke to the Ceann Comhairle this evening.
They had what was described as "a very direct conversation" over plans to prevent her speaking when nominated for the position of Taoiseach, and the responsibility of the Ceann Comhairle protect the rights of TDs.
In an unexpected move, Independent TD Mattie McGrath confirmed that he will also join the technical group.
He will bring to eight the number of TDs in the group and will "sign the forms" tonight.
It is understood that he was approached to join the group in recent days by Mr Lowry.
His presence in the group will mean that it will have four TDs backing the government and four opposing it.
Pending further deliberations from Ms Murphy, the group has been given the green light to assemble tomorrow morning when the Dáil is set to elect Micheál Martin as Taoiseach.
Deputy leader of the Social Democrats Cian O’Callaghan questioned if the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were aware of the Regional Independent Group’s plans to seek speaking time from the opposition benches.
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr O'Callaghan said it marks a "really bad start for this government".
"I think the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael need to come clean and tell us if this was part of the deal they made with (Michael) Lowry’s Independents or is it something that was just sprung upon them.
"They’ve been defending it since it became public, but is it something that they signed up to? And if so, why?" he said.
"We won’t accept this, and the Ceann Comhairle made it clear today that she’s yet to make a decision in terms of going forward on this...I don’t think this is a fait accompli in terms of what happens," he added.
No precedent to allow TDs form part of group, Sinn Féin TD says
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said there was no precedent to allow Independent TDs who negotiated the Programme for Government to speak from the opposition benches.
"The difference is Michael Lowry has negotiated and led the negotiations for his group in this Programme for Government.
"Indeed, the Programme for Government explicitly states the agreement between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents. He stood outside the Dáil with those seven Independents and said they’ll support the government in good days and bad. They have ministers in the Government," he said.
"This is completely different than what has arisen before, and any reasonable person in the public can see.
"How can Michael Lowry and the Independent TDs possibly say that they’re in opposition when they are keeping this government in place?"
He described the issue as "absolute nonsense".
"The government need to step in here and find a solution for their own Government TDs and stop the messing," he added.
Sinn Féin has also described the speaking arrangements for tomorrow as deeply concerning and unprecedented given that Mary Lou McDonald, who is being nominated by her party in the vote for Taoiseach, will not get to speak during the Dáil morning session.
Explained: Technical groups and the Dáil speaking rights row
Additional reporting Mícheál Lehane
