Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Many issues have arisen in the past week or so, not only gangland crime but also cancer services, which has been debated on the airwaves all day today and in the past few days, the industrial relations situation regarding Luas and the Tesco workers. Issues are arising and this Dáil is not functioning in the way it should in terms of trying to intervene in them. I appeal to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to extend the sitting time to allow for a discussion on water charges and other issues that have arisen in recent days because the people outside this House can see the game being played.

If Irish Water is such a difficult issue for Fine Gael, which was defeated in the election on this issue, and for Fianna Fáil, which was supported on this issue, the issue should be taken out of the negotiations and the parties should deal with the other issues regarding supporting a minority Fine Gael government and get the Dáil set up to allow a proper debate. I find it strange that we are all arguing here for time to make statements but none of us can do anything about providing for that. We should be trying to progress to a situation where we have a Dáil in which we can do that.

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