Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has described moves by the Government in the speaking rights row as "the stroke to end all political strokes".
Speaking on RTÉ's Six One News after the Dáil voted in favour of the Government's speaking rights proposal, Ms McDonald said that the Government was "placating" Independent TD Michael Lowry.
"This Government doesn't want to be held to account, and they have moved heaven and earth to placate a person that Micheál Martin himself described as a rogue politician," Ms McDonald said.
"And they have enabled him effectively to give two fingers not just to the Opposition, but to Irish democracy and to the Irish electorate."
Deputy Lowry was shown to have made a gesture towards People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy across the floor of the Dáil this afternoon. The Independent TD insists he was just beckoning Mr Murphy to come over for a chat.
Ms McDonald said TDs across the Opposition benches were united over the speaking rights row.
"This is a stroke to end all political strokes," she said.
Ms McDonald said that it was "an absurdity" that TDs who supported the Programme for Government are to be afforded Opposition speaking time.
Opposition TDs chanted "shame" as members of the Government departed the Dáil chamber after the Dáil vote over the speaking rights proposal.
The Dáil voted in favour of the changes to standing orders by a margin of 93 to 74.
The combined Opposition proposal to amend the Government's motion was never put to a vote.
Paul Murphy called the vote "an authoritarian stroke by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and their Lowry and Healy Rae 'independents'".
Opposition parties have been united in denouncing the Government and Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy for their roles in today's Dáil business.
'Difficult' to maintain confidence in Ceann Comhairle - Bacik
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the changes to Dáil rules are a "cynical stroke" for Independent TDs who are "patently in Government".
Ms Bacik said it was "difficult" to maintain confidence in Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy.
She said: "We were particularly dismayed and disappointed to see the Ceann Comhairle moving to push through the order of business and ignoring the calls of dissent that were clearly being registered by members of the Opposition."
She added: "It's very, very difficult to see that happen, very difficult to maintain confidence in the office of somebody chairing a chamber in that way."
People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett suggested a motion of no confidence in the Ceann Comhairle could be put forward following her handling of the Dáil row.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime, Mr Boyd Barrett questioned Ms Murphy's independence on the matter.
"A very serious issue here is the way the Ceann Comhairle handled the entire issue because the way in which they rammed through the votes, they completely changed the order of the day.
"They claimed votes that have been passed had not been passed. It was pre-orchestrated. I said that to the Ceann Comhairle in the Dáil.
"I certainly would imagine there will be a discussion about whether there might be a no confidence vote in the Ceann Comhairle," he said.
Meanwhile, Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly described today's scenes as "absolute nonsense".
"We are here because of a small group of Independent TDs who are no longer independent because of what they have done.
"They have rightly, and best of luck to them, signed up to a Programme for Government. Those who didn't get a ministerial office now want to come back on the go on the Opposition backbenches.
"That doesn't make sense."
Mr Farrelly said that the debacle posed serious questions about Government conduct going forward.
Independent Ireland founder Michael Collins said the Government had "no intention to bring this to a peaceful solution" and called on the Ceann Comhairle to make a statement on her interactions with Government about Tuesday's proceedings.
Ms McDonald also said that Opposition parties were currently reviewing their stance on a motion of no confidence in the Ceann Comhairle, following her handling of proceedings in the Dáil.
Speaking earlier during Leaders' Questions, Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended the Government’s speaking rights proposal saying there had been no change to Opposition speaking time and that the Opposition had been "wholly disproportionate" in its response.
Fianna Fáil accuse Opposition of 'bullying' Ceann Comhairle
Fianna Fáil parliamentary party members have accused the Opposition of bullying Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy and treating Oireachtas staff unacceptably.
Deputy Paul McAuliffe said the actions of the Opposition were "disproportionate and deeply concerning, particularly the behaviour towards the Ceann Comhairle which can only be characterised as bullying".
He also said there was an unacceptable heckling of officials in the chamber.
Speaking on the plinth with his colleagues, Deputy McAuliffe said the Government put forward multiple options to try to solve the problem and hours of dialogue took place but ultimately an impasse was reached.
"In a democracy, when you reach an impasse, the only next step is to take a vote ad that is what happened today."
Dublin South-West TD John Lahart claimed what happened in the Dáil chamber was akin to a mob with people intimidated and rank bullying of some members.
Lowry insists he did not give two-finger sign to Paul Murphy
Meanwhile, Independent TD Michael Lowry has insisted that he did not give the two-finger sign to Solidarity TD Paul Murphy in the Dáil chamber after today's vote.
Mr Lowry claims that Mr Murphy was "shouting abuse" at him and he beckoned him with his two fingers to come over to his seat.
Mr Lowry can be seen giving a two-fingered gesture in a video posted to X by deputy Paul Murphy.
Mr Boyd Barrett described the alleged "two fingers" shown to Mr Murphy by Mr Lowry as "a two fingers to the Dáil and the democratic process".
"It really sums up what the Government are up to here in a very cynical attempt to subvert the ability of the opposition to do their job," he added.
Mr Collins said the democracy of this country "has had two fingers shown to it inside the Dáil by an Independent TD that's supporting the Government and by the Government who are doing it to the Opposition and the country at this stage."
Ms Bacik accused Michael Lowry of giving two fingers to the Irish people and to the Dáil procedure after footage emerged of him.
"I think that is what the abiding image is," Ms Bacik said of Mr Lowry's gesture.
