Dáil debacle - Taoiseach’s final session in firing line

The Dáil cut short its normal Christmas and New Year’s break to re-assemble yesterday in what should be the last session of the current assembly.

We are obviously in the run-in to the next general election, and there will inevitably be a high degree of political posturing.

The Green Party previously insisted that it would force an election to be called by the end of this month, but it would seem that this is now being extended somewhat so that they can get some of their own specific legislation through — such as the Climate Change Bill, the bill providing for the direct election of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, new legislation on corporate donations, and the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill to introduce levies on waste incineration.