It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 7, 5 and 9. It is proposed to interrupt business at 6 p.m. to take items Nos. 5 and 9 and to resume the order at 6.30 p.m. Perhaps I should inform Deputies at this juncture——
Order of Business.
Would the Taoiseach postpone that item for the moment?
It is part of the Order of Business. The suggested times for dealing with the Finance Bill have been agreed between the Party Whips and I think the sooner Deputies are informed of it the better. It is proposed to sit next week on Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. and to take the Committee stage of the Finance Bill up to and including Section 39. It is proposed to sit on Wednesday from 10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m., and from 10.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. to take sections 40 to 46 and from 8 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. to take sections 47 to 65 inclusive. It is proposed to sit on Thursday from 10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. and to take from Section 66 to the end of the Bill, and to adjourn earlier, if possible. The Report Stage will be taken on 16th July and the final stages on the following day. I hope to be able to announce tomorrow the full programme of work for the remainder of the session.
What is the contemplated end of the session?
That I also hope to be able to answer tomorrow.
We have discussed this and I think a proposed date for closing was given, subject to the condition that the terms agreed on were carried out in full.
I hope that agreement will be possible. It is contemplated that the Dáil will meet next week from 10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
From the way in which he made his last statement, the Taoiseach gives the impression that the final date is still undetermined. If there is no date contemplated for the adjournment of the Dáil, there is no occasion for guillotining the discussions on matters which come before the House. I understood all this fitted into a pattern that would permit us to finish on 18th or 19th July.
The Deputy will appreciate there is a time limit for dealing with the Finance Bill anyway, irrespective of the adjournment. This requires the completion of the Committee Stage next week. I should hope it will be possible to reach agreement to deal with the rest of the business the Government have proposed for the remainder of the session so that the Dáil may be able to adjourn by 19th July.
If the Whips have met and agreement has been reached on certain points, particularly on the business to be done, is it not unfair to everybody—perhaps the Taoiseach does not mean to be unfair—that the Parties are now told a final date has not been decided upon?
I did not announce a final date because I was not aware a final date had been agreed on.
Our consent to this arrangement is conditional on the fixing of a final date. We are not prepared to have discussions guillotined, unless a final date has been decided upon.
As I said earlier, I felt the statement the Taoiseach was about to make was slightly premature today. I believed it could be more appropriately made later in the day after the problem had been further discussed between the Whips. I suggest now that the matter be left over until tomorrow when I believe discussion between the Whips will have clarified and finalised the points for discussion and the Taoiseach can then communicate to the House a clear agreement. There apparently is not a clear agreement now and I think it would be better left until tomorrow. I believe a clear agreement is attainable.
I thought a clear agreement had been reached.
Is it envisaged that a number of the Estimates which appear on the Order Paper will be postponed as a result of this agreement?
I think that is inevitable if we are to have the adjournment this month. This will be one of the matters on which we may have clarity tomorrow.
If agreement is reached between the Whips, neither Deputy Dr. Browne nor myself will have any say in it. We have no representation on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
The committee do not deal with this.
It is a place in which we should like to raise the idea of being allowed to take part in discussions on arranging the Order of Business. We want to know what Estimates are likely to be postponed.
All the Estimates.
It is very likely all the remaining Estimates will be postponed.
With the right of the Opposition to raise all these as token Estimates after the Recess.
Last year, there was difficulty about one Estimate because there was misinterpretation about it prior to the adjournment. Can we know if the Taoiseach's Estimate will be taken?
This matter will have to wait until tomorrow.
Will the Taoiseach make an announcement tomorrow afternoon?
Tomorrow morning.
If there is a new situation, I want to make it quite clear that we will have a new look at it before we are committed to anything.
I am always urging Deputies to have new looks at things.
Mr. Donnellan
Will the new Land Bill be introduced?
It will be introduced but it will not be taken during this session.
Mr. Donnellan
When will it be circulated?
I could not say.