THE DÁIL will this year cut at least three weeks off the summer recess because of the need to pass a raft of urgent legislation. In previous years, the Dáil has risen in the first week of July and not returned until the last week of September where it has sat for one day.

It is now likely that the summer recess this year will not begin until July 9th, a week later than normal. It will return in mid-September.

The extra sitting days will facilitate the passage of a number of important pieces of urgent legislation, all of which are designed to address the State’s financial crisis. The main piece of legislation is the Bill to give effect to the National Asset Management Agency, which will be debated by the Dáil and Seanad during September.