Taoiseach criticised for not addressing Dail on North talks

The Taoiseach was accused of making a mockery of the Dáil by meeting councillors and issuing sports certificates rather than addressing the House about the peace process and the breakdown of talks.

The Government also came under fire for an "abuse of the legislative process" in a row over the Finance Bill amendment extending tax relief to a private hospital.

Mr Enda Kenny, the Fine Gael leader, criticised Mr Ahern - he was not in the Dáil - about his itinerary, while the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said the "arrogance and remoteness" of the Government had led to the increasing practice of introducing amendments very late during the progress of legislation through the Dáil and Seanad.

However, the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, said that party leaders were to be briefed later in the day on the peace process, and it was not always a good idea for a full debate at a sensitive point in negotiations.

During the Order of Business, when the day's agenda is set, Mr Kenny said the House had "quite rightly" given the Taoiseach permission to be absent for two days because of the talks.

However, Mr Ahern should have briefed TDs about the breakdown of the talks because of the importance of the issue to all parties.

Instead, "yesterday the Taoiseach met Fianna Fáil councillors from Drogheda to discuss broadband roll-out. This morning, the Taoiseach rings in to the Marian Finucane programme to congratulate Sean Óg Ó Ceallachain, which is fine, but he should come to the House today to brief members.

"I now find that the Taoiseach is due to be in Tipperary at 1.45 to present sports scholarship certificates at the Canon Hayes Recreation Centre."

There was laughter when Mr Rabbitte said that "if the Taoiseach can remember every detail of Sean Óg Ó Ceallachain's first broadcast in 1938, which, of course, he was personally present at, you would think he would find time to address the House".

The sports commentator was marking 50 years presenting the Sunday sports programme on RTÉ.

Mr Kenny then said that "it makes a mockery of Dáil Éireann that deputies are representing the people here while the Taoiseach is presenting certificates in Tipperary".

Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) said it was "scandalous" that the Taoiseach and Minister for Foreign Affairs did not give a "substantive report" on the negotiations at Hillsborough.

The Tánaiste pointed out, however, that opposition leaders were to be briefed on the talks later in the day, and it was "not always desirable to have an open parliamentary debate at a sensitive point in negotiations".

However, she added that the party whips could discuss the issue.

When Mr Rabbitte raised the Finance Bill amendments, he said that while the Minister for Finance last month announced he was closing tax loopholes, he had opened a new loophole with the extension of tax reliefs to private hospitals.

This amendment derived from a meeting with a constituent, and not as a matter of general policy, "an impression" the Tánaiste had sought to create. He called on Ms Harney to correct the record, and to give an undertaking to end the practice of bringing in last-minute significant amendments to legislation.

Ms Harney said there were provisions in existing Finance Acts to "encourage private sector investment in the provision of hospital infrastructure". That was amended to include day-case hospitals. "If the policy is right, which I believe it is, it is not wrong to amend it."