Repair work at Leinster House means that they’re set for a longer holiday.
While the process of actually forming a government may have taken an eternity, it seems that TDs in the Dáil won’t be working for much longer.
Ireland’s politicians could be set for an extended summer break due to renovations that are being carried out at Leinster House.
July 7th is being earmarked as the last day of business for TDs, meaning that the current Dáil will take a break after just eight weeks of business being conducted.
New politics has its perks. TDs planning to take three months Dail holidays, as my colleague Fiach Kelly reports. Breathtaking !
— Michael O'Regan (@MOReganIT) May 25, 2016
Fine Gael TDs were informed of this potential 12 week break but Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is against it. Speaking with Newstalk, he says that TDs being allowed to leave “too early and for too long”.
If this early break occurs, it’s expected that the next session of the Dáil will occur in late September, before the budget is finalised.
A definitive decision hasn’t been made yet but speaking with The Irish Times, Government chief whip Regina Doherty says “any schedule will be based around works to be carried out”. The extended period of absence will also not affect any upcoming Oireachtas committees.