Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

It is a modest and reasonable proposal that the House sit for another week and return in the middle of September. I am always surprised that the Government appears to be insensitive to the inevitable snide commentary that going on leave today, as it will be presented, until 27 September attracts for this House and politics generally. It is immensely damaging that we are not seen to take a reasonable break in line with other parliaments. This House sat 55 fewer days this year than the parliament in the neighbouring island.

The Barr report on the shooting of John Carthy in 2000 has been completed for some time but has not been brought before the House and the report on the death of Pat Joe Walsh has not yet been made available to Deputies and ought to be debated here. The Barron report has not been discussed, it has been deliberately contrived that the Sullivan report will not be discussed and the e-voting report has not been discussed. The Dalton report exposes the glaring inadequacy of political supervision of the State company that runs greyhound racing and the shenanigans associated with the redevelopment of Shelbourne Park. Mr. Dalton has brought difficulties to light that were not included in his narrow terms of reference, following a particular sequence of events leading to the dismissal of the chief executive. A great many other matters have been brought to his attention and have now been passed to the Committee of Public Accounts.

I ask the Minister to reflect on the proposal. There is much business for this House to do next week. We have spent the last three weeks railroading important legislation through the House without giving it adequate scrutiny. Everybody is aware of that. Legislation has been introduced almost without notice and, in some cases, all Stages have been taken together with no adequate opportunity to scrutinise it. That this House sit for an additional week and return in the middle of September is an eminently reasonable proposal and would avoid much of the negative commentary and coverage that the business of politics will attract as a result of the Government's decision to shut down the House until 27 September.

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