Opposition blamed for criticising Dáil break

THE blame for the negative publicity over the Government’s decision to give TDs lengthy holidays lies with the opposition parties, the Minister for Defence Michael Smith bizarrely claimed yesterday.

Despite the Government voting down a Green Party proposal to have Dáil Éireann return four weeks before the planned end of September date, Minister Smith applied his rationale to defend the 12 week Summer break.

“I won’t be surprised when I read in the papers and I hear tomorrow that ‘Deputies are off on their holidays.’ And the people to blame are not up there (in the Leinster House press gallery). The people to blame are those who belittle the committees that will be sitting all this month and in September,” he said.