The Dáil Recess - Should they have it shortened or not?

jumpguy

In the current climate, I've been hearing quite a lot in conversation it's inappropriate to let the Dáil be suspended for such a long period of time. After all, they only have the Dáil 3 days a week, and not all the TDs even have to show up. With the most serious economic crisis we've faced in a long, long time, NAMA, An Bord Snip's report, our high borrowing, the Lisbon Treaty and Swine Flu, not to mention the problems with certain legislation being rejected by the president, it seems we need the Dáil more than ever.
I know TD's are only mushy flesh and bone too but in fairness, I must agree with the people who think a summer recess is inappropriate. It's not doing too well for the already damaged faith this country has in it's politics.

What're your opinions?

spank_inferno

It should be shortened if it would make a blind bit of difference.

One could argue the less our government actualy work on legislation the better off we might be.
Because economicaly every law passed by the Dail lately seems to have been to the detrement of Ireland and its citizens.
I think we could be safer if they do nothing!

And lets not kid ourselves.
If all 166 TD's were in that chamber ever day of every week, labour will just make soundbites with no substance , FG will have substance but be laughed at all the same. SF will be ignored & the Government parties wont give a sh*t about what the opposition say because they have a comfortable majority anyway.

Riskymove

spank_inferno wrote: »

It should be shortened if it would make a blind bit of difference.

agreed...if people truely realised what a waste of time the Dail is, they would not be so upset by this

Permabear

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Riskymove

donegalfella wrote: »

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actually the nub of the problem is that the Dail did not do any of those things the Government did......and the Dail (and Seanad) was absolutely powerless to do anything about it!

that's the problem

spank_inferno

Riskymove wrote: »

actually the nub of the problem is that the Dail did not do any of those things the Government did......and the Dail (and Seanad) was absolutely powerless to do anything about it!

that's the problem

Exactimundo!
With the coalition intact (& importantly independent support still ok)
The government can do as it pleases.

More Dail time doesnt really make any difference.

Ministers will still work on their own tasks
Backbenchers will go home and be moaned at about pot holes & planning applications.

Permabear

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Riskymove

donegalfella wrote: »

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but that's the point...all they could do was howl in protest...and if the dail was still sitting for july/august that's all they would be doing too..

The opposition is in the papers at present due to speeches at Summer schools which is just as effective as if they were in the dail.

lostexpectation

well whats your td up to? committee meetings , clinics?

turgon

Riskymove wrote: »

but that's the point...all they could do was howl in protest

No, the point was that they didnt howl in protest.

Riskymove

turgon wrote: »

No, the point was that they didnt howl in protest.

oh they howl alright...I have been there enough times

jumpguy

Despite what you think about the Dáil, we need decisions to be made. TBH, the country needs a general election.

OH WAIT! We had that only a year ago. The public voted FF back in.

Seriously though, whether you like it or not, we need the government to do something, make some cuts.

Also, I know I'm heading off topic here, but a thought occured to me today. I was thinking about the governments completely cowardly and non-sensical response to our public finances. Could they be intentionally worsening our economic crisis to frighten more people into voting Yes for Lisbon?

Riskymove

jumpguy wrote: »

Seriously though, whether you like it or not, we need the government to do something, make some cuts.

we need the Government to make decisions, not the Dail and the Government have made and will make more cuts regardless of the Dail sitting.

last week there were decisions about REPS in agriculture and so on

The Government are not on holidays (yet!)

the dail not sitting simply means they avoid oppossition shouting at them, proposing bills and motions which they cannot win etc