Members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party have formally endorsed the proposal by party leader Micheál Martin to support the candidacy of Verona Murphy for Ceann Comhairle in tomorrow's vote.
The Regional Independent Group had asked Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to back the nomination of Ms Murphy.
The endorsement has put Ms Murphy on course to become the first woman elected to the position.
The meeting of Fianna Fáil members heard that in an ideal world it would put forward its own candidate, but the route to Government required difficult choices.
Fine Gael Leader Simon Harris has also recommended that the party's TDs support Ms Murphy for the position.
Mr Harris made the recommendation on the grounds that it would support Government formation. He said a new Government can be formed in January, and this was the right thing to do.
Earlier, outgoing Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said the role should not form part of government formation negotiations, saying it undermines the primacy of the Dáil.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Ó Fearghaíl said Mr Martin did not ask him to step aside from the election, but did tell him that he saw the election of Ms Murphy as being critical to the formation of a stable and enduring government.
I am not angry, but I am deeply disappointed, he said.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
He said he has been very actively engaged in the business of reform while he held the office of Ceann Comhairle.
This includes reforming the election of the Ceann Comhairle and Leas Ceann Comhairle to be given to the members of the Dáil in their totality, he said.
This principle was respected in government formation talks in 2016 and 2020, he added.
Current Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl told @RTERnaG this morning that Tánaiste Mícheál Martin rang him last night to say he feels the job should go to Verona Murphy and that he will be asking the Fianna Fáil PP to support her in the vote tomorrow. @rtenews
— Cuan Ó Seireadáin (@Cuanbos) December 17, 2024
He said he would happily withdraw from the role but asked, if he does not stand up against this "bartering for positions, then who will?"
He has said that he is adamant that he will stay in the race to become Ceann Comhairle again - a role he has held since 2016 - to continue his reform agenda and to allow individual TDs, rather than party leaders, decide who should chair the Dáil.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl said the Fianna Fáil leader could not tell him what Fine Gael intended to do regarding the election, but that ultimately TDs have a free vote and said he would never undermine the power of a leader's recommendation to the party.
The outgoing Ceann Comhairle said he liked and respected Ms Murphy and the other candidates, John McGuinness and Aengus Ó Snodaigh, adding that he had no interest in preventing competition.
"This is not about personality, this is about principle," he said.
He said that established principle is being digressed from and said he is worried that if this principle is abandoned, then other reforms might also be abandoned.
Concern raised over Murphy nomination
Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne told the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting that he had concerns about whether "we can be certain that Verona Murphy will be fair, impartial and respectful of all members.
"In the last Dáil, she named and criticised, under Dáil privilege, a number of local councillors.
"I think in advance of any vote in order to show she can be fair and respectful, she should apologise to a number of elected representatives of Fianna Fáil but also in other political parties in Co Wexford. These are good, hardworking people. That would show that she has respect for other politicians.
"The role of the chair is to be fair and impartial and respectful. We need to see evidence of that."
The election of the Ceann Comhairle is seen as an early test of the potential government working relationship between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Regional Independent TDs.
Sinn Féin's Louise O'Reilly has accused Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael of dangling the position of Ceann Comhairle in front of the Regional Independent Group like a bauble.
She said that TDs should have the right to freely choose who to elect to the prestigious post.
Ms O'Reilly said the numbers were now adding up for one of the most right-wing governments in the history of the State.
She said that a coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and independents would be disastrous for families and working people.
Sinn Féin held talks with Labour, the Social Democrats and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in an effort to build a political alternative.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said parties must work together to build a political alternative and this effort should include trade unions, social justice organisations and civic groups.
The Labour Party will later hold discussions with Fianna Fáil ahead of a meeting of its parliamentary party this evening.
'A stitch up'
The Social Democrats have said that a secret ballot for the election of Ceann Comhairle was an important Dáil reform which aimed to ensure TDs across the House could vote for the person they thought would best protect their rights and represent the Dáil.
A statement issued following a meeting of its parliamentary party this evening said, "there are now attempts to erode this progressive reform with two of the larger parties endorsing an Independent candidate. Extraordinarily, FF has opted to endorse an Independent candidate despite two FF TDs expressing an interest in the role.
"It is clear that what is happening is a stitch up, by FF and FG, who are attempting to use the office of Ceann Comhairle as a bargaining chip in government formation talks."
