Coalition under fire for ‘shameful’ Dáil break

OPPOSITION parties last night labelled “shameful” the Government’s refusal to extend the Dáil term and instead take a three-month holiday from the House from Friday next.

Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens are furious that debate on crucial pieces of legislation, such as the Garda Síochána Bill and the Disability Bill, has been guillotined - or cut short - by the Government so as to squeeze them through before the summer recess.

They argue the Government could easily have extended the Dáil term and allowed for fuller debate.

Instead, the Dáil breaks this Friday, July 1, and won’t resume until the end of September.

“It is simply shameful that the Government is planning to adjourn plenary sessions of the Dáil for the next three months,” said Labour Party chief whip Emmet Stagg TD.

Earlier this year, Green Party TD John Gormley labelled the Dáil the “laziest, most unproductive parliament in Europe”.

All told, from the time the 2004/05 session began in September until it technically concludes in August, TDs will have sat for just 91 days - or three months of a year-long period.

By contrast, by next month, Westminster will have sat for 129 days (41% more time) since it resumed in October, according to parliament officials.

For their service, TDs get a salary of between €82,000 and €89,000. When this basic pay is combined with expenses, allowances, secretarial and research services, it is estimated that each TD costs taxpayers over €200,000 a year.

Fine Gael chief whip Paul Kehoe acknowledged that Dáil committees would be sitting through the months of July and August, and TDs would be doing constituency work, but added: “We have far longer holidays than many other parliaments. We’re there as national legislators, but the only way we’re going to legislate is if the Dáil is sitting.”

He expressed fury at the “atrocious” use of the guillotine in recent weeks, particularly on the Garda Síochána Bill, which showed the Government’s “contempt” for the Dáil.

Labour expressed similar concerns, and also vowed not even to discuss controversial Dáil reform proposals which Government chief whip Tom Kitt has brought forward. One of the proposals would give the Taoiseach the ability to refer to his ministers questions put to him by opposition leaders in the Dáil.

“These changes would have the effect of killing off Leaders’ Questions,” said Mr Stagg. “If we accept the principle that the Taoiseach may be able to refer questions from the party leaders to other ministers, this will inevitably become the norm.

“Labour will certainly not be a party to any changes that will further restrict our ability to call this Government to account.”

Mr Kitt last night accepted there had been unease with the use of the guillotine, but said the Government had tried to use it sparingly.

In addition, he said his proposals were an attempt “to put a better shape on things” and create more time for legislative debate.

He said he was assessing the possibility of extending Dáil hours, with more Friday sittings a possibility, and earlier starts on Tuesdays.

The Dáil currently starts at 2.30pm on Tuesdays, and, in a normal week, finishes on Thursday.