TDs have today voted against shortening their 11-week summer recess.
Fine Gael tabled a motion in the Dáil today calling for the break to be cut by a fortnight, but it was defeated by 15 votes.
The Dáil and Seanad are due to go into recess today and will not be back until September 27.
Speaking the House this morning, Ceann Comhairle Rory O'Hanlon urged all TDs to take a well-earned rest and not to spend their entire summer doing constituency work and sitting in Dáil committees.