Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Not on the first day the schedule was brought to the committee. A member of the committee asked where was the mid-term break and I replied that I did not believe we should have one on the basis that we had a large legislative programme to be passed between then and Christmas. I was overruled and told we should have one. I came back the following week with the schedule and rather than diminish the number of sitting days by two and a half, I added them in Christmas week. Unfortunately, therefore, everybody will be sitting Christmas week as opposed to sitting next week, but we have not lost a single sitting day.

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