TDS IN LEINSTER House are headed off on their holidays today. 

Taking Leaders’ Questions today, Tánaiste Simon Harris repeated what politicians are always at pains to say when the subject of the length of their summer holidays is brought up.

He said while the Dáil is going into summer recess, the government and politicians will “not be going away” in the sense that government and constituency work will continue on.

There are still a few items to be cleared off the government’s desk before they head off into the sun.

The Summer Economic Statement, which sets out how much money and breathing space there is in October’s budget, will be published next Wednesday. 

The final cabinet meeting this side of summer will also be held on that day.

The government leaders will also be meeting next week to discuss what action to take on e-scooters, with proposals also set to be announced. 

Generally, ministers take about two weeks off in August, and then upon their return, it is straight into budget wrangling between departments and the finance and public expenditure minister. (Expect to see a bit of kite-flying in the coming weeks).

Budget preparation aside, there are a number of contentious issues still hanging over this government. 

The report into the Aughinish Alumina plant in Co Limerick will also ready in the next week, though there is still a question mark over whether Enterprise Minister Peter Burke will publish it. 

Harris said today that he didn’t want to prejudge the findings, but addressing concerns of 1,000+ workers in the Limerick plan, he said the government would support workers if any sanctions were recommended by the European Commission. 

The first half of the year was pretty bumpy for the coalition, with peak chaos around the time of the fuel protests, which resulted in a junior minister going overboard because of the issue.

The government saw off the blockades with a fuel excise package, but those measures are due to start unwinding in September, just when the Dáil is due to return. We haven’t heard the end of it on that issue, for sure.  

Another issue that is hanging around like a bad smell is the stand-off between Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and solicitors over the new flat-fee for criminal legal aid cases.

The minister has said he won’t buckle under the pressure of solicitors withdrawing their services. However, as one government insider said this week, when a story drags into the third week, it is never a good sign.

The minister will be hoping to see off the argument with the courts due to shut at the end of this month. But it will probably pick back up again in September. 

Scurry of legislation before the summer break 

Before finishing up this week, there has been a scurry to box off certain promised legislation before the Dáil breaks.

It has finalised legislation around the Occupied Territories Bill, something that has been hotly debated over the last eight years. While opposition say it is watered down, it will be signed into law by the president. 

The Dáil approved includes Jennie’s Law, Valerie’s Law, the criminalisation of ‘sex for rent’, and legislation that will restrict disclosure of counselling notes in criminal trials to the maximum extent possible.

President Catherine Connolly, like her predecessor before her, will have a sore hand from all the pieces of legislation she is signing into law this summer, such as single-use vapes ban, the Dublin airport passenger cap bill and the disregard of certain medical history bill, which allows former cancer patients getting insurance.

The government Chief Whip and Minister of State Mary Butler has also sent around the government’s report card for the year, stating that during the first seven months of 2026, 36 Acts have been enacted.

Giving this government a gold star, she noted that the pace of delivery of legislation reform is ahead when compared to the same period of previous governments.  

In his last Leaders’ Questions before the break on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin gave his thanks to deputies, the Ceann Comhairle and the staff in Leinster House.

“Whilst we disagree on many issues, I think this is parliamentary democracy in action and long may it continue. So, I just wanted to say that,” said Martin. 

A few short hours later, after votes had concluded, he was spotted in the Dáil visitor’s bar. He popped in to bid goodbye to Senan Molony, author and long-time political correspondent, who will be missed around the halls of Leinster House when he heads off on retirement shortly. 

There was a rare show of camaraderie among politicians from all parties in the Dáil visitors bar where the England versus Argentina football match was being shown on the television. 

Let’s just say they were united in support of one team, and it wasn’t our nearest neighbours.