The Government said it accepted Ms Murphy’s recommendation, while Chief Whip Mary Butler said the Dail could now resume and “begin addressing issues that the country wants their public representatives to be debating, namely the aftermath of Storm Eowyn”.
“I hope we’re not now going to begin a new Dail season where things get agreed in the business committee, and 24 hours later there are objections to what was agreed,” the Taoiseach said, referencing the speaking time row.
Mr Lowry, who led the Regional Independents in government formation talks, and who Ms Murphy credited as suggesting her for the role of Ceann Comhairle, said he was “not surprised” by her decision.
The return to the usual Dail business comes two weeks after the opposition disrupted the nomination of Mr Martin as Taoiseach in a protest over speaking time.
Of the nine independents involved in government formation talks with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael – seven from the Regional Independent Group and two Kerry brothers Michael and Danny Healy-Rae – five are ministers of state.
