The Dáil rises this afternoon until the end of September after TDs voted today to give themselves a 12-and-a-half week summer holiday.
The House will not sit again until Wednesday, September 28 th. The break is among the longest of any parliament in the 25 states of the European Union.
Caoimhghin Ó Caolain
However, the various Oireachtas committees will continue to sit in July and September.
Government deputies voted down an Opposition call for the Dáil to resume two weeks earlier, with Opposition leaders accusing the Government of trying to stifle debate.
"This outfit, battered and bruised and staggering towards the line, just can’t wait to turn their backs on Leinster House," claimed Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.
Labour’s Pat Rabbitte said the three month hiatus was "impossible to justify", while the Green Party’s Trevor Sargent noted the Dáil had sat for only 93 days since it resumed after last summer’s break in September. Last year’s summer recess lasted 11 weeks.
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen defended the work of the Dáil, noting that since last September, there have been 30 Bills published with 22 enacted. He said a further ten were awaiting endorsement by President Mary McAleese.
Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the public should not think that TDs were on holidays during the summer. "I don’t believe many other sectors would actually put in the same effort, the same hours, as members here of all opinion," he said.
The main political parties agreed yesterday to consider proposals over the summer for Dáil reform.
Among the proposals are a Labour plan that would see more sitting days, longer working hours and shorter holidays.
They include having the Dáil meet four days a week instead of the usual three, a summer recess of six weeks instead of the usual 12, and significantly reduced breaks at Christmas and Easter. The practice of taking a full week off at St Patrick's Day and Hallowe'en would be abandoned.
"In legislative terms, this indicates that the work of the House, while not meeting unanimous approval, as is the nature of any democratic assembly, has been done during this period," he said.