Northern Ireland political editor
PA MediaFianna Fail leader Micheál Martin has been elected taoiseach (Irish prime minister) for the second time after chaos in the Dáil (lower house of Irish Parliament) subsided.
The Dáil was suspended several times on Wednesday after a bitter row between government and opposition parties.
Martin is one of the longest serving TDs (MPs) in the Dáil having been first elected in 1989 to the constituency of Cork south central and was previously taoiseach between 2020 and 2022.
He will now hold that office until 2027 when Fine Gael leader Simon Harris is due take over.
Shortly after being elected, Martin travelled to Áras an Uachtaráin (the presidential residence) to meet Michael D Higgins where he received his seal of office.
He has returned to Leinster House where cabinet ministers are being appointed.
Who will make up the new government?
Here are the ministers that will make up the new Irish government:
- Peter Burke – Minister for Enterprise.
- Jack Chambers – Minister for Public Expenditure.
- Darragh O’Brien – Minister for Transport, Environment and Energy.
- Norma Foley – Minister for Children and Disability.
- Patrick O’Donovan – Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport.
- James Browne – Minister for Housing.
- Mary Butler – Government Chief Whip, with the added responsibility of mental health.
- Paschal Donohoe – Minister for Finance.
- Jim O’Callaghan – Minister for Justice.
- Helen McEntee – Minister for Education and Youth.
- James Lawless – Minister for Higher Education.
What happened on Wednesday?
Martin was due to be elected taoiseach on Wednesday but there were chaotic scenes in the chamber.
Sinn Féin and other opposition TDs (MPs) had voiced their anger at plans to allow independents who are supporting the government to sit on the opposition benches.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael emerged as the largest and third-largest parties respectively following November’s election and committed to returning to government together.
However after the Green Party – their coalition partner from 2020-2024 – was reduced to a single seat, they gathered the support of a small group of independent TDs.
This was necessary to give them a majority in the Dáil.
Sinn Féin remains the largest opposition party after winning 39 seats.
Controversy began after four of the independent TDs who had agreed to support the government wanted to form a “technical group” along with two other independent TDs which would allow them speaking time and other rights from the opposition benches.
This group would be known as the Regional Independent Group.
Getty ImagesCeann Comhairle (Speaker) Verona Murphy said she would consider submissions opposing the plan, but permitted the group to “provisionally” take their original seats for now.
All other opposition groups are against the idea, saying the independents who were supporting the government wanted to be in government and opposition at the same time and were taking time away from those who wish to scrutinise the government.
Discussions took place throughout Wednesday to try to find a solution but the talks failed.
There were bitter exchanges across the chamber on a number of occasions before Murphy said proceedings would resume on Thursday morning as she was shouted down by opposition TDs.
As Murphy returned to the chamber at 16:00 after a number of suspensions, opposition TDs rose to their feet.
The ceann comhairle then abandoned plans to elect a taoiseach, with proceedings ending in shouting between TDs.
What changed on Thursday?
On Thursday morning Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) Verona Murphy ruled that those independent TDs supporting the government would not be given a status of an opposition technical group for the day’s Dáil sitting.
The government also committed to addressing some of the issues raised by the opposition parties
Welcoming the move, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the government has now “finally acknowledged that there has to be differentiation between government and opposition and no TD can be in government and opposition”.
Harris said the disruption on Wednesday was utterly farcical, describing it as an effort to “obstruct and shout down, to disrespect the Ceann Comhairle and the constitutional office”.
Martin said the delays were a “premeditated, coordinated and a choreographed position by the opposition, in particular the Sinn Féin party”.
However McDonald claimed the government had “demonstrated incredible arrogance”.
In his acceptance speech, Martin said that it was “a sad development in many parliaments in the world that they have become more angry and divisive.
“They have become forums dominated by the inflated rhetoric of demonstrations rather than a place where different groups can argue in good faith and respectfully disagree,” he said.
He added it was the anniversary of the death of his father Paddy.
“This week every year I remember all he did for us and the values which he lived by every day,” he said.
Appointment process
Martin has served in many ministerial positions under previous governments including minister for foreign affairs and health minister.
Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald was also nominated to the position of Taoiseach but failed to win enough support.
On Thursday afternoon, the new taoiseach received his seal of office from President Michael D Higgins.
He is due return to the Leinster House to appoint ministers to the new Irish cabinet.
There are 15 ministerial position to be filled and 23 junior minister roles.
Martin and Harris confirmed the new draft programme for government earlier in January.
The deal paved the way for the next government and was successfully endorsed by both parties in recent days.
Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ruled out Sinn Féin as a coalition partner, which party leader Mary Lou McDonald called “bad practice”.
Scenes not witnessed in a century
Analysis: Enda McClafferty, political editor
It is not the start Michael Martin wanted or expected as he returned to the taoiseach office for the second time
His election was delayed by 24 hours after yesterday’s chaotic scenes in the Dáil.
The scars of that bruising session have set the tone for the new Dáil.
But Martin is a seasoned politician and has weathered many political storms
He will though be tested given the scale of the challenges facing the new government in dealing with the housing and health crisis
Not to mention the potential economic fallout from the return of another political leader to power this week – US President Donald Trump