TDs have been told there's no reason why they should be forced to take a three month summer break.

But the Ceann Comhairle admits the Dáil chamber will need to be closed over the summer to allow for repair and refurbishment.

TDs this morning discussed the state of their workplace, parts of which are in need of major renovation.

The main Georgian block of Leinster House is now over 270 years old, as the city residence of the Earl of Kildare, and was never designed for use as a busy parliament house.

While the Dail chamber itself is not part of the Georgian block, its wing of the building will have knock-on effects from the partial evacuation of the older block.

The Seanad chamber is likely to be moved out of the Georgian wing altogether, and rehoused in a nearby part of the Natural History Museum (the 'Dead Zoo').

The Dáil, however, requires upkeep work over the summer and is also in need of a total rewiring - partly so that TDs will have the ability to officially abstain in electronic votes.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: