Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

It is not agreed. Proposal No. 2 proposes the Dáil shall adjourn until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday next, 29 October. We have a bank holiday on Monday, but that is fine because we would not expect to sit on Monday anyway. However, I see no justification for us not sitting on Tuesday. Whatever about not sitting on Tuesday, there is even less justification for not sitting until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday.

I am aware it has been the tradition and practice down the years that when we have a bank holiday, the House does not sit the day after, but these are not normal times. Financial markets are still in a state of flux and people are still very concerned about what is happening with the economy. We had 15,000 pensioners outside the House yesterday who remain unhappy, as do the thousands of others who were not there, with the position regarding the medical card. We also had 15,000 students outside who are unhappy about the Government planning to reintroduce tuition fees.

In my reading of the schedule for next week's truncated business in the House, I see no provision made for the continuation of the debate on the budget. When one takes out the statements on the European summit that are proposed for Wednesday and the arrangements for Private Members' Business, there are only two hours for other business planned for next week. This is in exceptional times. Many issues arise from the budget and only five of the Labour Party Members have had the opportunity to speak so far. There are 20 Members of the Labour Party in the House, all of whom would like to speak on the budget and raise issues such as cuts in disability payments and in education. I heard Deputy Gogarty's letter to the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, yesterday, in which he tells us that class sizes are the biggest issue. We will debate that next week.

See this speech in context