Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

No, a Cheann Comhairle. I am asking, as I am entitled to, whether the Government has given consideration to the implications of that judgment and whether it intends to move the writ for the by-election. We must bear in mind that the High Court said there was an arguable case that the Government has a constitutional duty to bring such a motion before the House where a reasonable period has elapsed. In the case of the vacancy in the Tánaiste's own constituency, a year has now elapsed, which most of us would consider to be a reasonable period within which the Government should table such a motion.

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