Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The ultimate check and balance in the Oireachtas is, of course, that the Opposition holds the Government to account. Central to this are slots for Leaders Questions and Priority Questions that are the Opposition's opportunity to hold the Taoiseach and his Government to account, yet they persist in holding that logic on its head, the most basic premise upon which we carry out our democratic business. They gave us their word that the Government would withdraw its proposals to placate Deputy Michael Lowry and his colleagues as part of its grubby government deal.

They gave us their word and it seems they have gone back on it. They have come forward again with proposals that still seek to insist that Government Deputies would be in Opposition slots.

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