Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

For Labour too, I want to express disappointment that we are not having Leaders’ Questions today. I have with me the original report of the Business Committee for this week and there was originally a very extensive schedule of business to be conducted over today and tomorrow. We have had two weeks of recess and we have had plenty of time to prepare for this. This House is only now sitting at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday when we should normally be sitting all day on a Wednesday, from the morning. It is simply unacceptable that we have business not ordered properly and what looks, if I may say so, somewhat like made-up business over the next two days, when there is so much important work to be done. Indeed, the new Taoiseach outlined a very ambitious programme of his own promises and commitments over the next bare 11 months. We should be starting more quickly. We should be starting today. We do not anticipate the Taoiseach will be in a position to take Leaders’ Questions tomorrow as there is a European Council, so it will be next week before the incoming Taoiseach takes Leaders’ Questions. Again, we want to object to that.

See this speech in context