The shutdown of Dáil business for 90 minutes yesterday evening, because there was no business to transact, was condemned by the Fine Gael Chief Whip Paul Kehoe, who accused the Coalition of holding the national parliament in contempt.
"This is yet another example of this Government under-delivering for the country. Do they really think that after an unjustified 82-day summer break there is so little to debate that the Dáil should be shut down like this?" he said.
The Government withdrew the Tribunals of Inquiry Bill, which was opposed by the Opposition parties who claimed the Government was moving to shut down some of the existing tribunals.
Opposition parties said the Government was embarrassed into dropping the Bill because of the Mahon investigation into the Taoiseach's financial affairs.
Mr Kehoe said there were currently 16 Bills on the "A" List that must go through the Dáil chamber and unless they were dealt with, the legislative pile-up caused by years of Government inaction would get worse.
"It is no secret Fianna Fáil TDs in particular have little time for Dáil business but this emasculation of parliamentary power is outrageous even by their standards," he added.
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