No legislation to be debated on 2 day Seanad Agenda
“Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer today (Friday) said the decision to schedule Seanad sittings for two days, instead of three, next week is hugely insulting to the people at a time when the country is on its knees.
“We have only just returned from a lengthy ten week break and after just one week back, a decision has been taken for the Seanad not to sit until next Wednesday. It’s an absolute joke.
“This means we will have a six day break from when we adjourned yesterday until we reconvene next week. What a slap in the face when there are 450,000 people on the dole queues, ship loads of our best and brightest leaving for foreign shores and a bank bailout of close to ?50 billion tied lie a noose around the nation?s neck.
“But it gets worse. For the two days we are sitting next week, no legislation whatsoever is scheduled to be debated before the Upper House. It is Government?s responsibility to schedule legislation and the failure to do so is an absolute disgrace.
“Senators were told that the Seanad would be sitting three days per week. Whether or not the Government has Bills ready to come before the Upper House, we should be sitting a full week regardless.
“This move sends out entirely the wrong message to the people. It is simply not good enough. Our job is to work on behalf of the people, not to take days off here and there whenever the mood takes us. We desperately need a new style of politics that will recognise the needs of the country and set about addressing them without delay.”