The Taoiseach set out the road to government of the Lowry TDs. He emphasised their willingness to serve, their forensic analysis of the programme for Government and then their accession to high office - all of the building blocks that define them categorically as Government TDs. The Taoiseach is quite right. After an election there is of course a necessity to assemble a Government and you did that - Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Lowry group. You get to define the Government. You do not get to select the Opposition. That is at the core of this issue.

Maybe we can be of some assistance in defining the deal done with Lowry. I can identify two parts of it. One was the office of the Ceann Comhairle, is that not right, Taoiseach? Second was speaking rights at Leaders' Questions and of course that suits you because it blunts the accountability mechanism. Leaders' Questions is the set-piece event, as we know, for the Opposition to hold the Taoiseach to account and now he wants that to be occupied by faux Opposition in the form of Lowry and his crew.

Ask a question, please, Deputy. Time is up. Taoiseach to respond.

The Deputy has made it very clear from the outset and set the precedent on day one of this Dáil. Total disruption, total opposition. She said before the Dáil even convened that there would be total opposition. In the Sinn Féin tradition, I know what that means.

Robust opposition.

I know what that means. You have form in this. I say to the Deputy that she showed a complete lack of respect yesterday for the Ceann Comhairle, her party did and she did, in terms of the behaviour in the House. It is going to be very difficult for any Ceann Comhairle in future Dáileanna. The next Dáil will have the same problem because you have now created a new precedent. I regret that.

You have.

Are you serious?

We are now in a new position where, if you successfully barrack down and intimidate people enough, you will try to get your way.

You put the Ceann Comhairle in position.

We cannot allow that to happen. The Government side is not going to allow that to happen.

Doublespeak. You have turned logic on its head.

I genuinely believe that what you have done yesterday and since day one of this Dáil when you did not want the constitutional obligation of the Dáil fulfilled-----

Thank you Taoiseach, time is up.

---you have set the tone for how this Dáil is going to go.

Do not preach the Constitution having done what you did. Spare us the homily, Micheál.

I call Deputy Bacik.