There have been bizarre scenes in the Dail this afternoon - where the government's new rules for Dáil business have been called into serious question.

27 questions to the jobs minister Richard Bruton were not put to the minister, because the TDs asking the questions weren't present.

The government changed the rules last year so that ministers do not have to answer questions if the person asking the question is not in the Dáil chamber at the time.

Opposition TDs claim the changes in the rules are aimed at undermining their chances to question ministers, as they're regularly tied up at committee meetings.

Four committee meetings were taking place at the time of the incident this afternoon - including the Jobs committee, which may have accounted for a vast number of the missing TDs.