Politics watch: Government braces for 'Liberation Day', Ceann Comhairle confidence vote

James Cox

Here, we have look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

Ceann Comhairle confidence vote

The Ceann Comhairle faces a confidence motion on Tuesday over her handling of a vote that cut opposition speaking rights.

The main opposition parties tabled an unprecedented motion of no confidence in Verona Murphy after Government proposals for rule changes sparked a bitter row and chaotic scenes in the Dáil.

Ms Murphy, who holds the position of Ceann Comhairle in the Dáil, will be backed by the Government in a confidence motion it is bringing instead of the opposition wording.

It remains uncertain whether unruly scenes will once again break out in the Dáil before or during the vote.

The Government’s majority meant it was able to push through significant changes to speaking rules in the Dáil last week, even without the usual opposition teller agreeing to sign off on the results of the vote.

The announcement that the changes had passed caused such a level of objection from the Opposition that the Ceann Comhairle adjourned all further proceedings until Wednesday morning.

The real story was the Dáil once again erupting into chaos, as it did when the Taoiseach's nomination was blocked in January.

Many of the Opposition stood up and shouted, with Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy accusing them of "misogyny" and "making a holy show of yourselves".

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy took out his phone to film the unrest, and Michael Lowry made a two-finger gesture at him which Opposition TDs have claimed showed a lack of respect to the Irish public.

The Government is proposing that the four TDs from the originally proposed Regional Independents technical group would be considered ‘others.’

This essentially means they would not be considered part of the Government or Opposition.

They would get speaking time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, along with Government backbenchers.

Opposition parties say this is "blurring the lines" by Government.

It would also mean written questions to be answered by the Taoiseach on Wednesdays would no longer take place.

Ireland a target of US tariffs ahead of 'Liberation Day'

Government ministers will hear today how chemical and pharmaceutical exports from Ireland to the US could halve in the coming years.

That's in the event of US tariffs being reciprocated by the EU.

Donald Trump is hoping a 25 per cent tariff on foreign goods arriving into America will lead to a US manufacturing boom.

The White House says the charges will be applied from tomorrow, to any country which has "treated the US unfairly". Mr Trump has dubbed April 2nd 'Liberation Day'.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers is to give an update on the National Development Plan and will stress the importance of investment in capital projects in this year's budget.

Last night, Enterprise Minister Peter Burke briefed party leaders on Ireland's competitiveness, ahead of the tariff announcements.

Speaking in the White House last week, Mr Trump said he would attempt to get US pharmaceutical companies back from Ireland.

It comes after the US president signed an executive order to impose a 25 per cent tariff on cars imported into the United States.

He sees tariffs as a tool to raise revenue, to offset his promised tax cuts, and to revive a long-declining US industrial base.

Mr Trump has his sights set on getting other companies back as well.

He said: “We’re going to be doing tariffs on pharmaceuticals in order to bring our pharmaceuticals back.

"We don't make anything here, in terms of medical drugs... it's [made in] another country. It's largely made in China, a lot of it made in Ireland.

"Ireland was very smart, we love Ireland, but we're going to have that."

In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen said the EU's decision to delay counter-tariffs was a positive move.

"The US administration's proposed 200 per cent tariff on EU alcohol imports poses a severe threat to European business, particularly Ireland's whiskey industry.

"And the proposed 50 per cent counter-tariff on US bourbon does not help our case for the US to never implement it. The EU has agreed to delay any counter-tariffs until mid-April. In the meantime, it'll consult with member states and MEPs on what form they should take in relation to the counter proposal.

"I've written to the trade commissioner and our own commissioner Michael McGrath, calling on them and the Commission to remove bourbon from the EU countermeasures.

"Maintaining a a zero for zero tariff status between the EU and US on alcohol is essential I think for industry stability, especially when you consider Irish whiskey exports."