Business will be taken in the following order: No. 3 (Vote 41 and Votes 32 to 40). It is proposed that the consideration of Government Business be not interrupted at the time fixed for Private Deputies' Business.
Order of Business.
I should like to ask the Minister when it is intended to give Private Members' time?
I think the Deputy will recall that the Taoiseach said it would not be possible to give Private Members' time while financial business is before the House.
The financial business is nearly finished now. Will the Minister consider the fact that no Private Members' time has been given at all this session? We are not responsible for the fact that the House met only once a fortnight or once in three weeks and in this way delayed the business which is before the House now. We are entitled to some Private Members' time, anyway.
I think the Deputy and the House will understand that the financial business includes the Estimates, and that it is not customary to interrupt Government Business for Private Members' time while the Estimates or any part of the financial business remain to be completed.
The Minister must also be aware that, for the first two months of this session, the Dáil met only on seven days. However, I will raise the matter again next week.