Irish lawmakers have voted to make veteran politician Micheál Martin prime minister for a second time at the helm of a coalition government

Micheál Martin was elected Irish prime minister for the second time by a coalition of the country's two large centre-right parties and independent lawmakers on Thursday, a day later than scheduled after opposition protest derailed an initial vote.

A vote due on Wednesday in the Irish parliament to elect a new prime minister was delayed by a day after opposition protests over speaking rights for independent lawmakers supporting the incoming coalition government derailed a chaotic sitting.

Irish lawmakers met Wednesday to appoint a new prime minister, but quickly abandoned the attempt amid bitter wrangling over parliamentary procedure.