Taoiseach in U-turn over Dáil sittings

TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny did a U-turn on a Government proposal to have no Dáil sittings next week.

The House is not sitting today.

The Government initially proposed during yesterday morning’s Order of Business that the Dáil adjourn until 2pm on Tuesday week.

However, following strong criticism from the Opposition, led by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach said the House would sit next Wednesday and Thursday at 10.30am, pointing out that under the last government, the Dáil usually reconvened at 2.30pm on Wednesday after a bank holiday weekend.

Mr Kenny said the Dáil would sit for 38 weeks until next July.

Mr Martin described the proposal not to sit as “extraordinary and incredible”, given the serious issues facing the euro zone.

“It is a moment of unparalleled crisis in Europe,” he said.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said the Dáil should sit next Tuesday so the Taoiseach could do his democratic duty by the people and by the Dáil and report on the European summit.

Richard Boyd Barrett (ULA) said that given the crisis, the very least the people of the country were entitled to was that the Taoiseach report back to the Dáil after the European Council meeting.