It is proposed to take business in the following order :— Nos. 11, 4, 12, 13, 5, 6, 7, 15, 8, 9, 16 and 17. If not reached earlier, it is proposed to interrupt business at 6.30 p.m. to take item No. 13.
Order of Business.
Has the Taoiseach anything to tell us of the Government's proposals for business tomorrow?
I am told there have been some discussions with regard to the debate on the Second Reading of the Finance Bill and I suggest the Whips might meet again this afternoon to see if it is possible to come to some agreement in relation to the allocation of time.
What about the commencement of the Finance Bill?
Commencement and finishing are the matters to be discussed.
Can the Taoiseach say why the Finance Bill did not reach Deputies until Monday when he had said it would reach them on Friday or Saturday?
Reach the Dáil Office on Saturday.
We cannot read Bills in the Dáil Office, you know.
It is somewhat unreasonable to expect the Bill to be debated tomorrow, in view of the fact that it did not reach Deputies until yesterday afternoon.
I am sure even Deputy Tully could manage to do that.
I might, but there are others who might not.
I am not sure if the Taoiseach is serious about this, but we are. This Bill arrived in the hands of Deputies yesterday afternoon. It is admitted the general principles announced in the Budget are contained in this Bill, but there are also matters of great detail in it which were not mentioned in the Budget. Most Deputies spent this morning travelling to Dublin and I do not think it is fair to ask, having regard to the spate of Bills this afternoon, that the Bill should be proceeded with tomorrow.
The Deputy is quite well aware that normally there is no serious debate on the Second Reading of the Finance Bill. It is regarded as a Bill proper for consideration in Committee and it is only because of special circumstances that a protracted debate on the Second Reading must be visualised this year. Deputies are also aware that there is a period in which the Bill must be completed by the Dáil and go forward to the Seanad to enable it to be enacted within a specific period. I suggest the Whips get together and work out a timetable.
Generally speaking, the circulation of the Finance Bill effectively on Monday and its discussion on Wednesday is an outrage of procedure but, in special circumstances, we have set down an amendment to the Second Stage, an amendment on which we are anxious to get a decision at the earliest possible moment. In those special circumstances, so far as we in Fine Gael are concerned, we are prepared to discuss the Second Stage and our amendment to this Bill on Wednesday.
But not necessarily to complete it on Wednesday. I suggest the Whips get together and see if they can work out a timetable. The Second Reading and the Committee Stage must be completed within a certain period of time.
We are interested in the Bill actually and for that reason we are not anxious to discuss it tomorrow, no matter what other people may think.
I will arrange for a meeting of the Whips.
If any arrangement is made, it should be announced in the House this evening.
I think so.