Government TDs are likely to try to push through plans to allow members of Michael Lowry's Regional Independent to form a "hybrid" technical group across both Government and opposition at Tuesday's Dáil reform committee.
A number of Government TDs on the committee confirmed the likely but not yet certain plan after another five hour meeting of the committee yesterday failed to lead to a resolution to the Dáil speaking time row.
Sources told RTÉ News that when the committee next meets on Tuesday at noon - one day before the Dáil returns - Government TDs are likely to push for committee vote in favour of their proposal.
As Government has a majority on the committee, this would almost certainly see the proposal pass.
However, opposition TDs on the committee have already warned against such a move, saying they are likely to disrupt Dáil business on Wednesday if the Government plan is forced through.
In a statement, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy said "A Dáil that can reach consensus is ultimately better for democracy and becomes truly representative of the people's wishes.
"It is regrettable that no consensus or agreement could be reached. As Ceann Comhairle I am committed to continuing with this process and to exhausting every possible avenue. The committee has agreed to reconvene on Tuesday, 4 February at 12.00pm having reflected over the weekend on discussions," she added.
After yesterday's meeting, opposition party leaders Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin, Cian O'Callaghan who is acting leader for the Social Democrats, Michael Collins of Independent Ireland, Labour leader Ivana Bacik, and Richard Boyd Barrett of Solidarity-People Before Profit wrote to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
The letter, seen by RTÉ News, reads "We write to express our strong opposition to this Government proposal; to designate the Regional Independents as an 'informal technical grouping of unaligned members/Hybrid Group'.
"Your proposal to amend Standing Orders, ostensibly to allocate additional time for Leaders and Priority Questions without reducing any party's time, is a transparent attempt to benefit this so-called 'informal unaligned grouping'. This is entirely unacceptable," it said.
"The Regional Independents are aligned with the Government, having negotiated a political deal with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to facilitate, among other things, your election as Taoiseach.
"As the combined opposition, we will defend the separation of powers between our parliament as the legislature and the Government as the executive," it added.
"Despite taking a week to bring forward this proposal, it is clear the Government's position remains unchanged - granting special parliamentary privileges to a group that is not in opposition.
"This attempt to designate the Regional Independents as an 'informal technical grouping of unaligned members/Hybrid Group' and to manipulate speaking time to favour them is fundamentally flawed and must be abandoned.
"The Government must swiftly reconsider its stance and uphold a rules-based approach that respects our parliamentary democracy and how it functions, the clear distinction between Government and opposition, and the mandates of deputies who serve in either role," it said.
During yesterday’s discussions, opposition parties said they will only accept a new technical group involving Michael Lowry if it is confirmed to be in Government, takes its speaking time from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and is not allowed to speak during Dáil leaders' questions or priority questions.
Government put forward a counter-proposal for a "hybrid" model that would allow the technical group speaking time in leaders' questions and priority questions which would be in addition to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's time.
However, both proposals were rejected by Government and opposition groups who were meeting in separate rooms, with Ms Murphy mediating between the locations.
Govt plans 'not acceptable'
Speaking after the meeting, TDs for Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, Solidarity-PBP and Independent Ireland all said the Government plans are not acceptable.
They said a party leaders meeting must take place as soon as possible - and did not rule out further disruption of the Dáil next week.
Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said "Things do not look good. The truth is we went backwards [in talks to resolve the issue]."
Social Democrats acting leader Cian O'Callaghan said Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris "should cut all ties with Michael Lowry" and that a "meeting of party leaders" should take place "as soon as possible".
Sinn Féin TD Padraig MacLochlainn said "we're actually going backwards", that "where we are now is Alice in Wonderland with the language" of the Government proposal and asked "how does Michael Lowry, one TD, have so much power over Government?"
Independent Ireland's Michael Collins said he wants "common sense" that Government and opposition are different to prevail, and described the situation as "a crisis, it's a national crisis".
Legal advice
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil has commissioned legal advice on the issue from Senior Counsel Michael Cush, who has argued that Independents who are not ministers are entitled in his opinion to speak as members of the opposition.
The legal advice says "the views expressed by the Ceann Comhairle are correct," referring to Ms Murphy's comments initially allowing speaking time in opposition for the Regional Independents last week, which was roundly rejected by the opposition.
"Mr Lowry's group comprises more than five members, none of whom are a minister or minister of state. It seems clear, therefore, that his group is properly recognised as such for the purposes of the standing orders," the legal advice states.
