Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I thank all Members who contributed to the debate tonight and last night. The motion proposed by the Labour Party is that this year, given the enormous problems into which the country is now facing, Dáil Éireann should not go into recess for three months but should continue to sit up to the end of July and resume again in early September.

In response to the motion, the Government introduced an amendment the effect of which is to extend the Dáil session by just one week, a totally inadequate response to the Labour Party motion. It is clear from the Government amendment tabled yesterday that the original intention was that the House would sit for a couple of days to take statements on the national development plan. As a result of this debate, it now appears the House will meet for an extra week to take normal business, including Question Time, the Order of Business and so on.

I note that the Green Party was quick off the blocks to claim credit for an achievement in Government. Yesterday, it issued a press release to the effect that it had achieved three additional Dáil sitting days.

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