Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator Daly's amendment to the Order of Business. I fully concur with what Senator Paul Coghlan has said in relation to a Brexit and the consequences for this country, and particularly for those living along the Border, if Britain breaks away from the EU.I hope it does not happen.

Yesterday morning, my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith, and I attended a public meeting in the wetlands centre in Ballybay, County Monaghan, which was called by local businesspeople and members of the local community to discuss the loss of 30 jobs in the Department of Social Protection from Ballybay to Monaghan town. Also in attendance were the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, and Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin. There was a general consensus among all the Oireachtas Members and councillors present and among members of the community that this decision is regrettable and it is probably too late to reverse it at this stage. It was put to the chairman of the meeting, Councillor Cathy Bennett, that a request be made to Government that the new Intreo centre to be allocated to County Monaghan should be based in Ballybay, which is centrally located and ideally placed to service the entire county. The Intreo centres, which are to be rolled out across all counties in the next year or so, will function as single points of contact for the provision of all employment and income supports. It is too late to submit this matter for discussion on the Commencement debate but I ask the Leader to use his good offices to impress upon the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the need to have the new Intreo office for County Monaghan located in Ballybay.

I understand the Taoiseach will more than likely dissolve the Dáil tomorrow. However, the Government will remain the Government and this House is, fortunately, still in existence. Is it the Leader's intention to have any sittings over the next three to four weeks?