Verona Murphy has become the first female speaker of the Irish parliament as part of attempts to form a coalition government.Ms Murphy, an independent TD for Wexford, defeated two Fianna Fail candidates and one from Sinn Fein to win the 255,000-euro-a-year position of Ceann Comhairle.Her election is the first action taken by the new Dail which met for the first time on Wednesday morning.

Verona Murphy has become the first female speaker of the Irish parliament as part of attempts to form a coalition government.Ms Murphy, an independent TD for Wexford, defeated two Fianna Fail candidates and one from Sinn Fein to win the 255,000-euro-a-year position of Ceann Comhairle.Her election is the first action taken by the new Dail which met for the first time on Wednesday morning.