Reduced Dáil Meets To Pass €3.7 Billion Euro Package In Response To Covid-19

The Dáil has met to pass emergency laws to deal with the impact of the coronavirus.

All stages of the omnibus bill have passed during a 10-hour sitting with reduced attendance.

The vast package of measures being passed today was revealed by the government earlier this week and covers multiple government departments.

The 3.7 billion euro social welfare package will see payments provided to people who lose work because of the crisis.

These may be the last laws the Oireachtas can pass some time.

The Ceann Comhairle has warned it will lose the power to legislate from midnight on Sunday.

The new Seanad will be elected next week - but won't be able to sit until there's a new government, putting extra pressure on the efforts from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to form one.