It is proposed to take business in the following order, Nos. 1, 11, 4, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. Questions will be taken at 3 p.m. I should mention for the information of the House that the Second Stage of the Rent Restrictions (No. 2) Bill will be taken next week. The Government have agreed to the request of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to make all the time on Thursday next available for Private Members' Business.
Order of Business.
From 10.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.?
Is the Taoiseach putting that recommendation forward for the House to consider?
I am not answerable for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I have received a request from the Committee to which I have agreed.
Does the Taoiseach not consider that the House should have an opportunity to discuss that recommendation? Personally, on the Order of Business, I am not in agreement with that and I maintain that the recommendation as such was not made known to Deputies. I do not know what it is except that the Taoiseach tells us that there is some recommendation that all the time on Thursday will be made available for Private Members' time. Perhaps he will elaborate on it and let us know the full recommendation so that this House——
I do not think it could be made any clearer. The Government have met a request from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to allow additional time for Private Members' Business by agreeing to allow Private Members' Business all day on Thursday.
I presume it is the intention that the House will sit on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, if that recommendation is to be put into effect?
The Deputy should not address questions to me. I am not a member of the Committee.
The Taoiseach on numerous occasions has stated that there is so much urgent Government business to be done that it would be an impossibility for him to make Government time available. Now we are told that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges have recommended to the Government that all day Thursday should be devoted to Private Members' time. We know exactly what the significance of that is, and that this is an attempt, made by the Leader of the Government——
Interruptions.
I do not want any slick remarks from the Minister for Industry and Commerce.
The Taoiseach has made a statement that Government time will be made available all day on Thursday for Private Members' Business.
If all the business is not completed, will any time be made available afterwards?
Would the Taoiseach take an early opportunity to tell the House what proposals the Government have in mind to relieve distress in various parts of the country, in view of their acceptance of the motion last night and as no clear indication was given as to what the Government have in mind?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
The best possible measure would be that the Taoiseach should go to the Park and ask for a dissolution.
May I suggest that the Deputy is making his election effort far too soon?
Time will tell. You are certainly making yours—four years and none of the 100,000 jobs here yet.
Order.
Interruptions.
Would the Taoiseach consider giving us Private Members' Time all day every Thursday?
Number 1.
I merely want to ask the Taoiseach does the proposal from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, which he says he has accepted, relate only to next Thursday and not to every Thursday.
Yes.
Would the Taoiseach consider recommendations from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges on the question of Private Members' Business later in this session?
Certainly. I would consider any recommendations from the Committee.
The Taoiseach will appreciate that there are nearly 20 motions on the Order Paper and we get through only a few motions in each session.
I must point out that the main business of the Dáil is to legislate and not to debate motions. While I would be most anxious to facilitate Private Members in relation to these motions, because of the facilities given to the Government earlier in the year, it could only be in circumstances where it would not interfere with the completion of Government business.
I appreciate that but about three or four years ago three hours were devoted to Private Members' time and now that has been cut, not deliberately, but by reason of the arrangements for sittings, to half the time.
Is it not a fact that the proposal submitted by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges is regarded as an interim measure dealing with the existing accumulations of motions and that the Committee has announced its intention of turning its mind forthwith to the question of dealing with the future disposal of Private Members' Business? The Thursday proposal is an interim measure dealing with the accumulation and the Committee propose to make further recommendations generally concerned with the question of Private Deputies' time in the light of our practice in this session of sitting on only two days per week. Is that not so?
I understand that is correct.
There will be another proposal submitted shortly dealing with the matter.