Mary Lou McDonald gets most votes but Dail fails to elect new taoiseach

The 33rd Dail has sat for the first time some 11 days after the outcome of the Irish general election produced a different political landscape.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Feb 2020, 20:53 BST
Newly re-elected Dail Speaker Sean O Fearghail is congratulated by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the DailNewly re-elected Dail Speaker Sean O Fearghail is congratulated by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the Dail
Newly re-elected Dail Speaker Sean O Fearghail is congratulated by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the Dail

However, as expected, it failed to elect a taoiseach.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan were all nominated for the role, but none emerged with a majority vote.

Ms McDonald emerged as the most popular candidate with 45 TDs backing her.

However, 84 TDs voted in opposition with 29 TDs abstaining.

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Mr Varadkar secured 36 votes in favour of him becoming taoiseach, while 107 TDs voted in opposition.

Mr Martin secured 41 votes in support, with 97 TDs voting against him.

Mr Ryan received 12 votes in support and 115 votes in opposition.

Mr Varadkar will travel to the Aras an Uachtarain to resign from office; however, he will continue to carry out his duties as taoiseach in a caretaker capacity until a new taoiseach is appointed.

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He told the Dail: “The responsibility is on all of us to ensure we provide good government, and indeed good opposition.

“I think the onus is on those who have made enormous promises of change to the people during this election who are entrusted with that mandate to bring a programme of government for approval.

“If they cannot, they should say so and be up front and honest about their failures and the empty promises they made.”

He said he will travel to Washington DC for the traditional St Patrick’s Day events.

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Mr Martin accused Ms McDonald of using “populist tropes” as she accused them of failing to speak to her in government formation talks.

“Every party and deputy elected to this house has a right and a duty to represent the mandate they received. In order to deliver functioning government, compromises have to be made and this is something we have been attacked for.

“Demanding that others stay quiet as others abandon their core beliefs in order to grab power is not something we agree with.”

Earlier, Fianna Fail TD Sean O Fearghail was re-elected as Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) after receiving 130 votes.

He beat Independent TD Denis Naughten who received 28 votes.

Related topics:Mary Lou McDonaldMicheal MartinSinn Fein