THE IRISH parliament failed to nominate a new Prime Minister (or Taoiseach) yesterday, following a row on speaking time.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin had been poised to become the next Taoiseach after agreeing a Programme for Government with the Fine Gael party and a selection of independents.

However, a dispute over whether some of those independents would be allocated opposition speaking time ended yesterday’s proceedings without a new Irish premier.

The parliament (known as the Dail) sitting to nominate a new Taoiseach was delayed for hours to allow for talks on resolving the dispute.

Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton addressed the chamber after 4.25pm and said the nomination process should proceed.

Fianna Fail TD Albert Dolan took to his feet to begin nominating his party leader as Taoiseach.

Members of Sinn Fein — including leader Mary Lou McDonald, Pearse Doherty and chief whip Padraig Mac Lochlainn — continued to interrupt the sitting.

Mr Doherty described the speakers’ attempts to proceed as a “disgrace,” while Mr Mac Lochlainn said it was “outrageous.”

Speaker Verona Murphy adjourned the Dail until 9am today, ending a day of chaos inside the chamber which saw multiple suspensions and adjournments.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s agreement on forming a government with independents sparked the enormous row over parliamentary rules, which has yet to be resolved.

Five of the nine independents who entered into negotiations are due to be given junior ministries, with the remainder expressing support for the Programme for Government but not taking up an official post.

The four remaining independents are seeking to join a technical group, which is a mechanism designed to allow opposition TDs to sit in groupings of at least five members to gain an allocation of speaking time.