Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle) | Oireachtas source

Let me make it very clear that the decisions about reduced attendances here have been agreed by all of the parties. When the proposal was brought to the House, nobody objected to it. It has the support of all the party leaders. I understand that some individual Members are very frustrated at not getting the opportunity to come here regularly. I put it to the Deputy that they should take that up with their party leaders or whoever selects the people who come here. I am well aware that many people share Deputy MacSharry's view that we could in some way reorder and restructure our business here, and we could all come in a reordered fashion and transact our business with 160 Members. Just as the State is taking the advice of the medical experts, we are having regard to the medical experts and to the health and safety experts who have been requested to come in here to look at how the House is operating. I made arrangements this morning for a copy of the report of the health and safety experts to be circulated so that Members can understand the reasons we are operating as we are. We are operating in this way by agreement.

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