Irish Parliament Delays Taoiseach Vote Amid Speaking Rights Dispute

The election of Ireland's new prime minister, Micheál Martin, was postponed due to protests regarding speaking rights for independent lawmakers supporting the coalition government. Martin was set to be ratified in the Dáil following a coalition agreement with two major center-right parties and independents after the November 29 election. However, opposition disruptions over the speaking time rules led to multiple suspensions of the parliamentary session. The controversy centers on whether independent TDs, who back the government, should be allowed to join opposition technical groups for speaking time allocation. Opposition parties, including Sinn Féin, vehemently opposed this arrangement, leading to disorder in the chamber. The Dáil will reconvene on Thursday to address the ongoing issues.