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WHAT ARE OUR politicians doing in the halls of Leinster House?
TheJournal.ie lets you know with our guide to what’s coming up to the Dáil, Seanad and various Oireachtas committees today.
DÁIL
Eamon Gilmore takes the morning’s Leaders’ Questions at 10:30am, before TDs agree to the day’s agenda and then finish up their discussion on a motion backing the promissory note deal. The motion is certain to pass, but there’s still reason to tune in at 1:30pm (see ‘One to Watch’ below).
The rest of the afternoon is taken up resuming debate on legislation behind water charges, from 1:30pm to 3:42pm. The day finishes with debate on four topical issues (3:42pm) and Dail questions to the Minister for Health, James Reilly (4:30pm).
The day’s Dáil business can all be viewed here.
SEANAD
A simple day in the Seanad: 75 minutes of discussion on the Seanad’s future agenda (10:30am) and the Seanad’s final consideration of legislation granting a pardon to Irish Army deserters who left to fight with the Allies in WW2 (11:45am).
The day’s Seanad business can all be viewed here.
COMMITTEES
It’s a relatively quiet Thursday, with only three committee meetings:
TheJournal.ie‘s one to watch
As we mentioned, the motion on backing the promissory note deal is worth watching for a number of reasons – not least because it could cause legal difficulties for the government while it fights David Hall’s appeal against the creation of the notes in the first place. If this vote is considered tantamount to Dáil approval for the deal, does this form a tacit admission that Dáil approval should have been sought for issuing them in the first place?
Furthermore, there’s also the interesting matter of how last week’s absentees might vote. Peter Mathews wasn’t around for either of the votes on the Bill to liquidate IBRC, and is said to have been too unwell to attend the late-night sessions. As a noted critic of nationalising banking debt, the Fine Gael back-bencher might find nowhere to run at 1:30pm.
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I’ve a great idea for losing weight, thinking of writing a book about it, it’s going to be called ‘Eat less, Exercise more’, oh, I’ve just finished the first draft
OMG! I’ve been writing a book too! It’s called “Common Sense” a tale about a person who knows that eating crappy food, doing little exercise and bad habits like too much drinking and smoking is actually BAD For you.
You have to be more dramatic to cut it these days. Try calling it “Get off your fat arse and do something.”
Hoping against hope that the promissory vote fails. The bunch of spineless traitors will no doubt vote it through though. I think i will go to glasnevin to hear Collins and O’ Connell roll in their graves at half one.
Because they felt compelled to fight for a global cause. 6 million Jews alone were murdered. Nobody cares about Union Jack’s and Tricolours when confronted with statistics like that, Kev.
I’m sure they loved their country, Kev, that they wanted to protect their country’s sovereignty and their childrens’ futures, just as O’Connel and Collins did, by fighting a worth while cause.
Jumping the gun a bit there, Eoin?
Hope it doesn’t take the Seanad long to recognise the injustice shown by the State against people who fought for the Allies during the war. A long time overdue.
What about the injustice that those who deserted from the Irish military to join another states military Not only did they turn their back on their serving friends but more important they turned their back on the Irish state.
I have no problem with people joining another nations military, big problem with desertion very sad day if the government turns it back on the brave men and women who stayed and defended our nation and to the Irish citizens who joined another nations military for a cause they believed in.
The operation transformation team could all lose a bit of weight.
Must be great getting paid for doing nothing of worth.
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