Dail gathering to pass emergency legislation

 

The Dáil will sit for the third time later to pass emergency legislation to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
However, just a third of TDs have been asked to come to Leinster House to allow for social distancing in the Dáil chamber.
The Dáil is expected to approve drastic new laws aimed at tackling the coronavirus.
They include allowing the government to detain people who have the virus and refuse to self isolate and allowing the government to shut down mass gatherings.
It also gives a legal footing to the enhanced welfare supports for people who’s jobs have been hit.
The measures are meant to stay in place until May 9th – but can be extended by the government.
Some opposition TDs and civil liberties groups have called for a very clear end point or sunset clause to be set down in the legislation, given its restrictive nature.
Only around 50 of the 160 TDs will attend the Dáil today to limit the spread of the virus and social distancing will apply in the Dáil chamber.
11 TDs each will be allowed from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin – with smaller numbers for the other parties and groups of independents.
Yesterday Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil met to discuss policy, though the conversation largely focused on Covid-19.
They are due to meet again today and tomorrow – although neither side expects much progress given the scale of the coronavirus outbreak.
Fine Gael will hold its parliamentary party meeting by teleconference when the Taoiseach is expected to update the party
SD