Sinn Féin has said the issue over water charges could be dealt with today, 26 April.

The party said if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael would allow the water charges motion signed by 39 TDs to be debated and voted on, they could go back to government negotiations in the knowledge that the issue of water charges has been handled in a democratic fashion.

Mr David Cullinane TD also said the Dáil is being prevented from dealing with more serious issues including health, housing and crime.

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He said: "Last night we had two fatal shootings in Dublin but the issue will not be discussed in any meaningful way in the Dáil today.

"Last week a man was released from prison on the basis of a High Court ruling on suspended sentences that could have been sorted with amending legislation but the Dáil was prevented from dealing with the issue.

"Today we have the news that public patients wait up to 25 times longer than private patients for cancer tests. This cannot be dealt with while we wait for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to sort their differences on water.

"We cannot continue with a situation that is preventing the Dáil from dealing with matters that have a serious impact on the lives of the very people it is meant to serve."

(CD/LM)