Michael Lowry appears to give TD 2 fingers as Dail shuts down to roars of ‘shame, shame, shame’ in new speaking row spat, Lowry shows Contempt for the Irish people. A Government in Tatters, Disgraceful.

The Dail freeze could block any further business for the foreseeable future

He told the Irish Sun: “Murphy was using video against regulation. I beckoned him to come nearer.”

The madness began when the Government forced through a vote to change the rules of the Dail to create a new “Other Members” slot to give Michael Lowry and other Government backing TDs time to raise issues with the Taoiseach and Tanaiste in the House.

The vote – which the Government won by 94 to 74 – also reduces the ‘Taoiseach’s Questions’ session in the Dail down from two to just one per week and cuts the time that TDs can raise issues during the daily Order of Business discussion.

Opposition parties have joined together to battle against the move as they demand a clear definition between the Opposition and Government benches.