Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are in unprecedented times. The Dáil is unique in the world in sitting in an alternative Parliament. We have halved the sitting hours every week and the Opposition has co-operated and accepted this very reluctantly. We have a solemn responsibility to represent the people who voted for us. We have a solemn responsibility in a democracy to hold the Government to account. The very reason we are in this unprecedented situation is because of a public health crisis. We need to ask questions every week. The Minister for Health is on every news and radio channel. He needs to be in this Parliament on a weekly basis being accountable to us as democratically elected representatives. We understood it was agreed that that would be a standing slot for that and it is not on the Order of Business this week. The Opposition absolutely cannot agree to the schedule and at this late hour we appeal again to put aside a slot so we can hold the Government to account and do our job.

See this speech in context