NOT LONG now to go before the Dáil rises for the summer recess.

Ministers won’t be going anywhere until August but queries about where they intend to spend their holidays have already begun. These questions come flying in at this time of the year but usually from journalists.

So Labour Ministers were intrigued recently when a representative of a Fine Gael Senator called their offices seeking details of their holiday plans*. Fearing somebody might be playing a hoax, staff sought to establish that the calls were made on behalf of Senator Catherine Noone.

A quick check of Fine Gael’s website will have confirmed to them that the Senator has a particular interest in the travel sector.

In March she launched a new website called StayHome.ieaimed at encouraging people to holiday in Ireland.

“If some of the €4 billion spent by Irish people on foreign holidays was instead spent on domestic trips it would provide a great boost to the local economy,” she said.

“Unfortunately many people won’t be in a position to take a holiday this year. But despite our current economic situation many people are still holidaying abroad...If we could get just a portion of these people to stay at home instead it would give a great boost to the local economy.”

Ireland has so much to offer for a long or short break, argued Catherine. “Why would you want to go anywhere else?”

Labour went looking for Catherine to find out precisely why she wanted to know their Ministers’ holiday details.

But they couldn’t find her in the Seanad two week ago. Fine Gael couldn’t help either. Didn’t know where she was either, apparently.

Eventually some bright spark rang her mobile phone. They got a foreign ring tone.

Senator Noone, standard-bearer for the staycation sector, was in the sunny south of France.

On top secret Seanad business, one presumes.

* This article has been amended to correct an error