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Updated, 15.48
TODAY MARKS THE final day of sittings in the Dáil before it rises for the summer recess – marking the end of the first in what will likely be remembered as a historic Dáil.
The chamber, of course, a much differently-composed place than it has ever been before in the aftermath of the general election – with Fianna Fáil relegated to third place and a whole slew of high-profile independents.
The Seanad and the Oireachtas committees will continue to meet next week before taking August off, but in the meantime: here, in numbers, are some bitesize statistics from the first terms of the 31st Dáil and the 24th Seanad.
54 – The number of days on which the 31st Dáil has sat, between its first meeting on March 9 and today. The 30th Dáil sat on 9 days before it was dissolved on February 1.
100 – By comparison, the number of days on which the Dáil met for the entirety of 2010. That included 47 days of sittings between January and the summer recess.
55 – The number of days of recess the Dáil is to take before its next meeting on September 14. This is down from 83 last year.
83 – Exactly half of the 166 TDs returned in February’s general election were incumbent TDs. The other half contained 57 sitting councillors, 4 former office holders, 14 sitting senators and 2 MEPs.
20 - The number of new laws the new government said it expected to publish in the first term.
17 – The number of bills it actually tabled in the Oireachtas – including 7 of the 20 promised. Others included the Finance (No.3) Bill which gives tax equality to civil partners, and a massive Companies Bill which updates and reforms some arcane legislation.
12 – The number of bills officially tabled by opposition parties. Those included two proposals to hold referendums amending the constitution.
11 – The number of new laws the new Oireachtas will have passed, by the end of today’s business. 7 of those have been signed into law by President McAleese.
33 – The number of days on which Enda Kenny has answered Leaders’ Questions and ministerial Questions to the Taoiseach.
16 – The number of amendments to the Dáil’s Standing Orders – essentially the rules of the House – being adopted by the Dáil on its final day of sittings today. Those amendments – which allow for Friday sittings and longer sitting hours – will take effect for all future business.
25 – The number of days (including today) on which the 24th Seanad has sat since its election in late April. It convened for the first time on May 25. By comparison, the 23rd Seanad sat for 97 days last year, and 13 days this year before it was dissolved.)
€158,677.06 – The total amount in expenses claimed by the then-members of the 23rd Seanad for the month of February, a month on which the Senators did not have any parliamentary business as there were no sittings of the Seanad or any committees.
13,219 – The number of questions, both written and oral, tabled and answered by TDs as of Tuesday evening. (Questions submitted and answered since have not yet been published.
19 – The total number of Oireachtas committees in existence at present. This is down from the 27 committees which met at various times across 2010.
€92,672 – The basic wage paid to all TDs in the current Dáil. Previous increases based on long service have been scrapped.
€65,621 – The basic wage paid to Senators.
€61.4 million – The total basic wages paid to members of the Dáil up to the end of June. This does not include ministerial salaries, party leaders’ allowances, allowances for committee chairs and vice-chairs, expenses.
€7.8 million – The total basic wages paid to the members of the Seanad up to the end of last month.
€15,676,580 – The basic wage that will be paid by the Oireachtas to members on the 29th of this month. Members are paid on the last Friday of the month.
0 – The number of TDs and Senators who are yet to speak during any debates since the elections.
COLUMN: 10 things I learned in my first term in the Dáil, by Stephen Donnelly >
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I had to go into the emergency room while pregnant recently and was told I’d have to be admitted if X didn’t work. I’m not an anxious person, I generally roll well with whatever comes my way. For the first time in my life I had a panic attack. Scared the bejaysis out of me. All because of restrictions, being on my own, having no contact with or advocacy from my partner during an incredibly stressful time. I was lucky in the end that I did not need to be admitted. It may sound trivial to some, but pregnancy is incredibly stressful, there is so much to worry about. Doing the scariest bits alone is just too much to take. Partners support is vital and must be protected.
It’s such a pity that governments don’t have any kind of mechanism to force people and businesses to behave or not behave a certain way.
@Gerard: It’s such a pity that governments have mechanisms to force people and businesses to behave or not behave a certain way.
@Tom Hogarty: Tom is just dying for the purge to start
It is so stressful for those experiencing difficult pregnancies. In many cases these situations are technically “life or death” for the unborn. But, it seems the hospitals don’t factor in that subjective but horrible reality for both the parents concerned. It’s very upsetting when you look around a hospital and see other people nonchalantly wandering around, or a concerned guy sitting with his partner that has a broken wrist in A+ E. yet, in maternity, partners must wait outside with no contact with the highly distressed partner and unborn child. It’s sickening to be honest.
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