Dáil summer holidays will be pushed back, says Taoiseach

The Dáil usually rises in July.

POLITICIANS WON’T BE heading off on their summer holidays in July, according to the Taoiseach.

The Dáil usually rises for the summer in mid-July every year, but this year will be different.

“I think everyone in the country is going to want to take their annual leave at some point, including politicians, notwithstanding the very strange political scenario we have seen for the last four months,” he told reporters today.

“I can guarantee you that TDs and senators from government and opposition have been working very hard. 

“I certainly don’t think it would be possible to have the summer recess in mid-July which would be the norm. If we can form a new government by the end of June that new government will have some work to do in July, not least dealing with Covid, but also some legislation that needs to be passed.

“So I don’t anticipate a summer recess happening in the middle of July as would happen as normal, but we will have to find some arrangements to allow people to take annual leave as I don’t think we can run straight through to the end of the year,” he said.

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The Taoiseach has previously said there is a “perception” among the public that politicians don’t work over the summer, but he said this is not true.

He said last year that there is “a big difference between the Dáil being in recess and the Dáil being on holidays”.