Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

We have already seen some of these cuts taking place. I refer to the decision not to proceed with and the delay in proceeding with services for the homeless. We have seen people with disabilities unable to get the carers they were promised 12 months ago. We are already seeing that those who are least able to bear the pain and those who should be least asked to bear the pain are the first to meet the knife of cuts that are already under way.

The Government's intention is to suspend the Dáil, stop public sessions of the Dáil and go into private conclave in the Cabinet rooms and Departments and to proceed with these cutbacks. The Government has no right to do this. This is public business and the situation of our economy and our public services belongs to the people as a whole and the Government should be addressing these issues on the floor of this House, putting the books on the table, putting the case on the table, setting out the options being considered so that we, the representatives of the people, can address them.

On top of these difficulties we now have the political difficulty which the country as a whole and the Government in particular must address following last week's rejection of the Lisbon treaty. It is a huge diplomatic challenge. While I acknowledge the concession made today which allows us a debate tomorrow on this issue, this is an area that requires reflection by this House and requires some time and thought to consider the many issues and responses which arose in the course of the referendum campaign.

This House needs to continue in session until late July and return in early September to resume addressing these matters. It is outrageous the Government, which has to date provided so little leadership for this country on a whole range of issues, is proposing to stand down the national Parliament for what is in effect three months, to suspend normal political activity and effectively to suspend public parliamentary debate on its own stewardship and on the problems facing the country. This should not be acceptable and is the reason the Labour Party — rather than dealing with this matter on the day the Government proposes the adjournment — has put down this motion so we can make a reasoned and I hope convincing case for the Dáil to continue in session for a longer period this year.

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