'Plenty of engagement' with Opposition over speaking row

Fine Gael TD Barry Ward has said that there has been "plenty of engagement" with the Opposition over the Dáil speaking row.

Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime programme, Mr Ward added "there can't be agreement if the opposition isn't willing to actually give anything on it.

"I work in a democratic parliament and at the end of the day, there must be an agreement as to how we proceed and the way we do that is by a vote, but I don't know if that vote will happen today," he said.

"The proposal from the Government is about giving an opportunity for every TD to exercise their mandate, not just those in the opposition."

He added that the proposition is not "undoing tradition or being unfair".

"In fact, what we're doing is not diminishing any of the Opposition time, but increasing time generally for scrutiny, but also facilitating backbench Government TDs to have a say because my mandate is as valid as yours or anybody else's, I'm entitled to ask questions, and I'm entitled to raise my voice."