The first session of the new Dáil term is expected to be dominated by legislation connected to the EU-IMF programme and the two referendums to be held on 27 October.
1743 Well as the Dáil met, over a thousand people took part in various demonstrations at the Dail gates. The biggest protest concerned cuts in the education sector.
1718 Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has asked how An Taoiseach Enda Kenny could justify the amount of money which has been put into the banks, and continues to be put into the banks.
1713 Mr Kenny says it is a short-term levy which will help create jobs.
1710 Taoiseach Enda Kenny denies the Government hid information. He said the previous government attempted to restrict access to Freedom of Information.
1708 At the beginning of Leaders' Questions, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin accuses the Government of raiding people's pensions through the pension fund levy on private pensions.
He accuses Taoiseach Enda Kenny of ignoring expert advice in favour of pulling off a "political gimmick".
1707 Minister Reilly insists the Government have a strategy to deal with the backlog for colonoscopy.
1659 Minister Reilly says both the numbers waiting for a colonoscopy and the length of time people are waiting for a test are unacceptable.
He says he wants "urgent" cases dealth with within a target time of four weeks.
1656 Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said he is shocked that 2,400 people are on the waiting list for a colonoscopy.
1647 Health Minister Dr James Reilly says we all have to be aware of the increase of deaths by suicide. He says provisional figures suggest the number of suicides in 2009 was 527 and 486 in 2010.
1629 Politicians will have to show "extraordinary discipline" when carrying out investigations under the proposed new system for Oireachtas inquiries, Minister Brendan Howlin has warned.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform said the Oireachtas "had been in retreat" in recent years and was leaving matters to the courts that could be handled by parliament.
The Minister was speaking today at a meeting of the Committee on Investigations, Oversight and Petitions.
On 27 October, people will vote on an constitutional amendment that would give committees powers to investigate. If it is approved, committees will be able to force witnesses to attend hearings.
Any person who gives false information to an inquiry will be guilty of an offence.
Investigators will also be allowed enter homes to seize documents provided they get a warrant from the District Court
1627 Follow Political Correspondent David Davin-Power on Twitter @theddp
1626 Minister Bruton says he is determined to make Waterford a priority.
1625 The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, says he has pressed for longer winding-down period than 30 days from Talk Talk.
1624 Fine Gael Paudie Coffey says there is a need for a coordinated approach to deal with the unemployment crisis in Waterford.
1621 Deputy Halligan has left the Chamber and the Dáil resumes.
Labour TD Ciara Conway outlines the jobs crisis engulfing the Waterford region. She accuses Talk Talk of doing a "spectacularly" bad job communicating the recent job losses to both Government and workers.
1612 Deputy Halligan's suspension lasts for just one day, as it is his first offence. Any subsequent offences will lead to a three-day ban.
1604 Deputies vote 91 to 42 to suspend Mr Halligan. He then refuses to leave, and the Ceann Comhairle suspends the House for ten minutes.
1601 Members are voting on whether Deputy Halligan should be suspended from the Chamber.
1552 The first major row erupts between the Ceann Comhairle and Independent TD for Waterford John Halligan. The Deputy wants longer than one minute and 10 seconds to comment on the jobs crisis in his constituency. Mr Barrett will not acquiesce.
1545 Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett takes over from Mr Kitt.
1541 Minister Rabbitte says he would "love to be free of the shackles" of the money that has already been ploughed into the banks.
1539 Deputy Boyd Barrett asks wouldn't it have been a better idea to borrow money to set up a national company to drill for oil, rather than borrowing to put money into "rotten" banks.
1537 Minister Rabbitte says we are not even sure if we have any oil or gas resources to "give away".
He says without the money to set up a State company to drill for oil and gas, we are required to bring in private companies to do so.
1536 Deputy Boyd Barrett asks why we are giving away our oil and gas reserves and what exactly are we getting in return.
1530 Pat Rabbitte says he is not pleased with the deal with the EU-IMF that was "foisted" on the present Government by its predecessor, but adds that the deal was made with the State and so we are stuck with it.
1528 People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett says he will “pass over the irony” of Fianna Fáil railing against the privatisation of State assets. He goes on to ask how can Europe justify insisting that State assets be sold.
1526 Deputy Ó Cuív says the past has shown that even when a minority stake in a State asset is sold, the focus of that company turns to shareholders.
1522 Sinn Féin's Michael Colreavy says that even though Deputy McDonald is not present, she will take a close look at the minister's response.
1519 Pat Rabbitte says that he feels "let down" that Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald is not in the Chamber to hear his response to her questions.
1458 Fianna Fáil's Éamon Ó Cuív says there is a feeling that the new refit programme would be a "licence to print money" for major energy suppliers like ESB, Airtricity and Bord Gáis.
1454 Mr Rabbitte says he agrees with the general thrust of what Deputy Pringle said, but says he thinks that Mr Pringle is exaggerating the potential size of the industry.
1452 Independent Thomas Pringle says he believes there is huge potential in the use of wood to heat homes.
He says this indigenous industry could create jobs and help ease our reliance of imports of other fuels.
1448 Mr Rabbitte says he is pleased with the recognition in Europe of the Government’s efforts to deal with the economic crisis. He says he is aware of the of strategic importance of the ESB and says there is no question of the Government “selling it off”.
1447 Deputy Ferris asks will the sale of the minority stake improve our economic situation?
1443 Sinn Féin's Martin Ferris says his party is totally opposed to the sale of State assets and predicts that the decision will prove to be a "disaster" in the long run.
1440 The Government has agreed to sell a minority stake in the ESB, says Mr Rabbitte.
1438 Mr Rabbitte says it is very important that we are successful in locating energy reserves and that progress on that front up to now has been "very disappointing".
1435 It will be two years before a decision is made on the issue of exploratory licences for drilling for oil and gas off the Irish coast, Mr Rabbitte says.
1433 Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte is first to his feet.
1432 The Leas Cheann Comhairle, Michael Kitt, gets proceedings under way with the prayer.
1427 Deputies slowly begin making their way into the Dáil Chamber.
