Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I support Deputy Kenny's proposal. What we are doing here concerning the election of a Government is a very important constitutional function whereby the elected Members — the 166 people who have been sent to this House by the people of the country — effectively transfer executive authority from the Dáil to the members of the Government. We have spent the last month paying tributes and giving congratulatory speeches, yet two hours is all the Taoiseach is proposing in order to debate the formation of this recycled Government.

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