Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin was accused of “grandstanding” as he hit out at the Dáil going into recess for a week at Halloween.
Mr Martin said it was only the sixth week of sitting since the summer recess and he believed the Dáil should sit on Wednesday 1st November and Thursday 2nd rather than Tuesday November 7th.
“I do think it’s excessive. Genuinely,” said Mr Martin.
He said there were a number of important Bills to be considered including the Technological Universities Bill and the Public Health Alcohol Bill.
The Cork South-Central TD said there was a “tendency that the Dáil will sit less and less” and he was concerned that they were not going to get legislation dealt with “sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday”.
He formally objected to the week’s recess but did not call a vote on the issue.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney who was taking the Order of Business for the Taoiseach who is in Paris, said the issues was discussed at the Oireachtas Business Committee, which decides the weekly business of the Dáil.
“There was agreement and consensus at the business committee and that’s where we should leave it,” he said.
Independent TD Mattie McGrath who accused Mr Martin of grandstanding, asked “what about the staff of the House” and members who needed to know in advance about sittings.
The Tipperary TD, a member of the business committee, which includes all parties and representatives of Independents, said the committee agreed this issue.
He claims Mr Martin was engaged in “grandstanding of the highest order”.
But Ceann Comhairle Sean Ó Fearghaíl said “let’s not have that sort of” talk.
He said the business committee did discuss the issue of the Halloween recess. “There were reservations about it,” but it was agreed by a majority that the House would go into recess next week.
Mr Ó Fearghaíl said it was accepted that the members and staff would know well in advance what the schedule should be and that was why a calendar for the Dáil year had been agreed.
