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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.

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”.

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    Mute Tracie Perry
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    May 29th 2020, 5:54 PM

    Oh wow arnt they amazing!

    334
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    Mute Yurt
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    May 29th 2020, 5:58 PM

    @Tracie Perry: well you’d be giving out if they didn’t do it as well.

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    Mute Billy Davies
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    May 29th 2020, 5:59 PM

    @Yurt: ya can’t please a begruder

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    Mute Michael
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    May 29th 2020, 7:26 PM

    Are they serious? This government was voted out over 100 days ago, move on!

    46
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    Mute d
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    May 29th 2020, 7:29 PM

    @Yurt: Really??….How many of this new Dail are ex teachers…or unelected?

    31
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    Mute KilkennyProud
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    May 29th 2020, 8:34 PM

    @d: Since Ruth Coppinger failed to get elected both as a TD and as a Senator they are down one I suppose.

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    Mute D
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    May 29th 2020, 5:56 PM

    It would be nice if they gave the rest of the working population the same annual leave that they get

    221
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    Mute D
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    May 29th 2020, 6:00 PM

    @D: hello fellow D

    31
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    Mute Euro McPúnty
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    May 29th 2020, 7:57 PM

    @D: afair few of them aren’t even elected… This is the highest paid garden leave to ever be witnessed… U COULDNT MAKE IT UP

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    Mute D
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    May 29th 2020, 10:43 PM

    @D: haha hello! I often see your comments and think I’ve forgotten I commented

    3
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    Mute paul gurney
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    May 30th 2020, 10:33 AM

    @D: as well as their unvouched allowances and expenses…25k to get from Longford to Dublin 170 days a year..that’ll do for a start

    4
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    Mute D
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    May 30th 2020, 5:50 PM

    @paul gurney: I think I’d be happy with the expenses alone!!

    1
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    Mute You can call me anything but
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    May 29th 2020, 5:56 PM

    Convienent for them because they wouldn’t be able to go anywhere nice in July

    181
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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    May 29th 2020, 6:17 PM

    @You can call me anything but: Exactly my thought exactly.

    For us mortals is the garden enough…

    61
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    Mute You can call me anything but
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    May 29th 2020, 6:24 PM

    @8-Bit-Relic: unless they tell you back gardens are no longer safe

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    Mute Pablo Rojas Coppari
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    May 29th 2020, 7:23 PM

    @You can call me anything but: everyone can go pretty much everywhere they want in July… and to quite a few nice places in June too.

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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    May 29th 2020, 10:33 PM

    @Pablo Rojas Coppari: Ah well, they allow us to travel end of July… however, many companies asked to take PTO before…

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    Mute Paul Walsh
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    May 29th 2020, 6:05 PM

    Delaying their holidays is hardly a sacrifice. Many in the private sector have already been forced to take a portion of their annual leave while under house arrest in their homes. I don’t expect politicians would have any interest in taking their holidays at home – they’ll wait until they can go somewhere nice and have been able to get their hair styles addressed

    136
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    Mute B
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    May 29th 2020, 6:14 PM

    Cut them down to 21 days like the rest of us !!!!

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 29th 2020, 9:24 PM

    @B: I’d prefer them to add a few extra bank holidays for the rest of us!

    13
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    Mute Gary O CONNOR
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    May 29th 2020, 6:25 PM

    Sickening prat ..

    68
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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 29th 2020, 9:45 PM

    @Gary O CONNOR: You should not put yourself down like that.

    7
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    Mute David Lafferty FCCA
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    May 29th 2020, 6:05 PM

    Should be abolished

    63
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    Mute Seanboy
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    May 29th 2020, 6:18 PM

    The Taoiseach has previously said there is a perception that politicians don’t work during the summer this is untrue. The Taoiseach never spoke a truer word the perception is that politicians don’t work all year round, lazy sod’s

    87
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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    May 29th 2020, 11:15 PM

    @Seanboy: Why should he? The people seem to be quite happy with Holohan in charge. Until August Leo won’t make any leading and just point the finger to Holohan and say that a deadly virus is around and therefore we should listen to this man.

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    Mute Marty H
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    May 29th 2020, 6:12 PM

    Well doesn’t your heart bleed

    60
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    Mute Crocodylus Pontifex
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    May 29th 2020, 6:21 PM

    @Marty H: I hope not. Cardiac tamponad is a serious condition

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    Mute Marty H
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    May 29th 2020, 11:58 PM

    @Crocodylus Pontifex: what was that about tampons? Lol

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    Mute Gareth
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    May 29th 2020, 6:37 PM

    Ministerial paycut?

    40
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    Mute Tony Kennedy
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    May 29th 2020, 7:10 PM

    Brilliant ! Any chance we get Jacinda Ardern to cover his holidays and sort the Country out while they’re away

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    Mute Tony Kennedy
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    May 29th 2020, 7:02 PM

    It gives him longer to squat in the Taj Mahal in the Park and if Martin wrangles to becoming Taoiseach it can be the Taj Mehole

    35
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    Mute Adam J
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    May 29th 2020, 7:50 PM

    Cancel them, a government has yet to be formed, they are not entitled to the break, if they cant form a government, back to elections

    35
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    Mute Roibeard Ó Riain
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    May 29th 2020, 6:21 PM

    Another raise is on the cards for the magnificent government. Well done to every one of them.
    #inept
    #clueless

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    Mute paul gurney
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    May 30th 2020, 10:38 AM

    @Roibeard Ó Riain: Its frightening to think that if Simon Harris had to formally apply for any job in the Health Service the only one he would qualify for would be a cleaner, and thats no reflection on the cleaners who do stellar work,but a reflection on the fact someone thinks this man is capable of running a health dept in the midst of the greatest crisis in our lifetimes.

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    Mute Jimmy Mac
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    May 29th 2020, 6:53 PM

    This is a lot to ask, these politicians need there holidays, they have to be able to tell the difference between doing sod all most of the year, and then the holidays when they can officially justify doing nothing.

    39
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    Mute Dave Nomates
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    May 29th 2020, 6:39 PM

    Didn’t recognize Leo with his shirt on.
    #RightSaidFred

    37
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    Mute John O Brien
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    May 29th 2020, 9:14 PM

    How many of them are in the dàil with the last few months anyway?! To me it seems about the same ten faces and all the others are off anyway, with full pay of course..

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    Mute pat seery
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    May 29th 2020, 8:28 PM

    Does that mean an Election before July
    Just wondering

    13
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    Mute @fplinsider1
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    May 29th 2020, 6:40 PM

    Thank you Leo. A wise decision. Your nation applauds you and our Government during this pandemic! Drown out the hate!

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    Mute Seanboy
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    May 29th 2020, 9:37 PM

    @@fplinsider1: tell that to the 1000 + nursing home residents that were left to die in their nursing home beds while the hospitals sat empty. Sure are a great bunch of lads this Gov and the HSE higherarchy. They disgust me and anyone that supports this failure of a politician should be ashamed of themselves.

    24
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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 29th 2020, 10:00 PM

    @Seanboy: Nursing home deaths certainly are bad across Europe. Particularly bad in Northern Ireland, and we know who is in joint power there!

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    Mute Seanboy
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    May 29th 2020, 11:26 PM

    @Fionn Darland: Indeed things are bad all over Europe but let’s stick to Ireland that’s where I live that’s where I am speaking about, that’s where FG are in power Leo Varadkar is the Taoiseach, Simon Harris is the minister for health it is their failings that have us where we are 1000 + dead in nursing homes. From the very begining we were told this virus is especially severe on the elderly. Mistakes were made lives were lost don’t fudge the facts with deflection and bull. FG have failed the nursing home residents of Ireland not anybody else.

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 30th 2020, 1:49 AM

    @Seanboy: Private nursing homes should use some of their very large profits to pay for adequate infection control. That would have reduced deaths. Northern Ireland is relevant because it is run by DUP/ SF and deaths in nursing homes there are also at a shocking level. Not bull just facts you don’t like. Government are doing a good job against COVID…. See recent poll results on the Journal.

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    Mute Fionn Darland
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    May 30th 2020, 1:57 AM

    @Fionn Darland: Just checked the poll results… 63% happy with how government are dealing with COVID. You must be in the minority.

    3
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    Mute Seanboy
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    May 30th 2020, 6:55 AM

    @Fionn Darland: I’ll ask you again what have SF or DUP got to do with deaths in nursing homes in the Republic of Ireland that is deflection and bull, just because they are doing badly it’s OK for our shower to be doing the same. As for private nursing homes using their large profits I agree wholeheartedly with you they should have done more where was the oversight HIQA dropped the ball. We should also remember that hospital wards were emptied into nursing homes without testing for the virus. Journal polls mean nothing it just proves that some people are idiots

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    Mute paul gurney
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    May 30th 2020, 10:47 AM

    @@fplinsider1: no they don’t.simply any decision not made by Tony Holohan has been confused and chaotic..Think education, think airport systems of controls, nursing homes,lockdown restrictions and easing.There has hardly been an announcement where they haven’t had to clarify, edit,or even backtrack completely .Do these people never analyse anything before running for the photo op.History will show this Govt fell down at several different levels during this crisis.

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    Mute Dave Nomates
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    May 29th 2020, 6:38 PM

    Didn’t recognize Leo with his shirt on.
    #RightSaidFred

    16
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    Mute Martin Smith
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    May 29th 2020, 11:03 PM

    As there has been no govt for roughly 110 days and leo quoted as saying it will be difficult to form a govt by the end of June we’ll I don’t see any reason why they can’t go through until the end of the year without a break or better still take holidays now cause you have not been working just milking the system.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 29th 2020, 11:23 PM

    They just want to stay “ relevant “ in this whole situation & if they went on holidays now we would all see that things would still be managed perfectly without them!

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    Mute Paul Somers
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    May 29th 2020, 6:27 PM

    REALLY

    9
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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 29th 2020, 11:16 PM

    Sure hasn’t Leo been living it up since lockdown in Farmleigh!

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    Mute Paul Byrne
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    May 29th 2020, 10:57 PM

    Their on holiday all year long

    8
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    Mute Martello Mulligan
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    May 29th 2020, 7:50 PM

    This is a good article to make a cynical comment on to indicate how clever we are.

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    Mute 8-Bit-Relic
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    May 29th 2020, 8:13 PM

    @Martello Mulligan: I love the irony in your comment.

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    Mute Eddie O'Neill
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    May 29th 2020, 8:34 PM

    I welcome this announcement, there is a huge amount of work for the governemnt to get through. However, floating the idea is not the same as it actually going to happen, let’s wait and see.

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    Mute edmundoux23
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    May 29th 2020, 10:00 PM

    Fair play to them

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    Mute James Delaney
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    May 30th 2020, 2:06 AM

    They’ve no were to go any way !!!!

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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    May 30th 2020, 5:28 AM

    Well they weren’t going far anyway !

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