Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

There just cannot be a "business as usual" response to this, with the Government closing the Dáil and heading off into conclave to discuss Estimates and a budget over the period of the summer and early autumn. This is public business that affects the lives of the people it and needs to be conducted in public. I know there is a certain ritual every year as regards when the Dáil closes and the length of the recess and so on. However, the problems the country face this year are such that it is irresponsible for the Government to close the business of Dáil Éireann. The message we need going from here is not that Deputies are on holidays, but that the country faces serious problems and leave is cancelled.

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