The following is the Order of Business for today but I understand it will be changed later by what the Whips agree: No. 39, Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 1999 – Order for Report and Report and Final Stages; No. 41, Equal Status Bill, 1999 – Order for Report and Report and Final Stages (to adjourn at 6 p.m.); No. 5, Wildlife (Amendment) Bill, 1999 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; No. 42, statements on European Summit (Helsinki) to be taken following the announcement of matters on the Adjournment under Standing Order 21 and the Order shall resume thereafter; No. 40, financial motions by the Minister for Finance [1999] (resumed), to be taken upon the conclusion of Private Members' business, and the Order shall not resume thereafter.
It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that; (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and business shall be interrupted not later than 10.30 p.m.; (2) the Report and Final Stages of No. 39 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.45 a.m. by one Question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources; and (3) the proceedings on No. 42, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion after 70 minutes and the statements shall be confined to the following Members, who shall be called upon in the following sequence, and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the statements of the Taoiseach and of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party, shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case; and (ii) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed ten minutes. Private Members' business shall be No. 92, motion re Social Partnership (resumed), to conclude at 8.30 p.m. tonight.