TDs and senators will take more than two months summer holidays from next week, it was confirmed today.
Both the Dáil and Seanad will rise for nine weeks on Wednesday having sat for just over 100 days in the last year.
Both Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore unsuccessfully demanded the Oireachtas sit longer this year to deal with the recession and a backlog of legislation.
The Opposition parties also criticised what they branded the frequent use of “guillotines” over the past few weeks which capped the amount of time allowed to debate new laws, as the summer holidays approached.
While most elected representatives will take their extended break next week, some will continue to sit on parliamentary committees for the remainder of July.
When it adjourns, the Dail will have sat for a total of 103 days since the end of last September. The Seanad will have been open for business for 104 days.
It is expected the Oireachtas will have enacted 30 new laws during that time.
PA