The Government has agreed to recall the Dáil early following the reopening of schools.
Politicians voted on 31 July to begin their six week summer break immediately. The Dáil was not scheduled to sit again until 15 September.
The three Coalition leaders – Taoiseach Micheál Martin of Fianna Fáil, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar of Fine Gael and Eamon Ryan of the Green Party – said they had now agreed the Dáil should be recalled “following the reopening of schools”.
“The Taoiseach will make this request to the Ceann Comhairle on Monday,” a Government statement said.
The Government had come under mounting pressure to restart the Dáil following a political storm over an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Clifden on Wednesday night.
Dara Calleary resigned as Minister for Agriculture and Jerry Buttimer resigned as Seanad Leas-Cathaoirleach after confirming they had attended the event.
EU Commissioner Phil Hogan, who was also at the dinner, has been asked to consider his position by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told RTÉ’s Six One News on Friday night that the Dáil should be recalled to “begin the process of rebuilding public confidence”.
She said the Government had “descended into new levels of chaos” and that the Clifden golf dinner was “the final straw”.
Micheál Martin – also speaking on the Six One News – said it was not for him to recall the Dáil. “We work with other political parties in that regard. Government does not run the Dáil.”
Labour party leader Alan Kelly disputed this, stating that under Standing Order 26, the Ceann Comhairle may summon the Dáil for an earlier sitting on the request of the Taoiseach.
He said the Government had lost public confidence and he had “rarely seen such public anger in response to a political issue as to the events in Clifden”.
The Social Democrats also asked for the Dáil to reconvene early, with co-leader Catherine Murphy saying that the Government is lurching from one crisis to the next as it attempts to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Taoiseach has now confirmed he will request the Ceann Comhairle to recall the Dáil after schools reopen.
Responding to the decision, Alan Kelly said on Twitter: “The Dáil should return next week, on Tuesday 25 August, not after the schools.
“There are too many serious issues to be discussed and we must restore the confidence of the public.”
