THE DÁIL went into recess yesterday for 11 weeks amid Opposition allegations that the Government had the worst legislative record in the State’s history, and had failed to provide a proper strategy for the economy.
There were sharp exchanges as Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton rejected the move to adjourn until September 24th, claiming the Government was “sticking its head in the sand”.
“The Government is clearly running for cover. It reminds me of a cork bobbing helplessly in the ocean. All we have heard from Ministers are bewildered mumblings that they are in control of our destiny, but they are not in control of what is happening. Everyone is beginning to see that.
“At last the PR cuts are showing through because the spin the Government has tried to present is finally falling asunder.”
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, said that given the economic situation it was “simply unacceptable” to adjourn until September 24th, although he acknowledged the Dáil would be back a bit earlier than usual.
The Government “wants to run away, get back in the bunker and introduce slashing cuts of one kind or another over the next couple of months”, he said.
Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said,however, that work would continue and “the Government will continue to govern”. She said the committees would continue until the end of July and in September.
She said there was a refusal, particularly by Fine Gael, “to accept that international factors have had an impact on our economy”.
Referring to the legislative programme Mr Bruton said that “we have the worst record of legislation in the history of the State”.
Mr Gilmore claimed the Government not only “cannot manage the economy, it cannot plan its legislative business . . . there are incompetent Ministers who are not able to cut it in legislative debate.”
But Ms Coughlan said a number of items of legislation would be published during the summer months, “which I am sure, given the exuberance of the deputies, will be carefully read in preparation for an exhilarating debate next session”.
