It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 3, 9, and in 9, Votes 48 and 49, No. 4, Vote 48 to be taken in conjunction with No. 9. Questions will be taken at 2.30 p.m. I may mention that it is proposed to sit on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week.
Order of Business.
Can somebody tell me please when it was decided to change the order and to take Health today? Yesterday I was informed that the Minister for Health would not be available, or rather that Fine Gael did not want to take Health today. We wanted to take Health and were told it was not possible. I contacted the Fine Gael Whip and he told me his instructions were that Health was not to be taken, as Deputy Ryan would not be available. I was here until 10.45 last night and nobody told me that Health was being taken.
We were asked if we were agreeable to have Health taken. We said it was inconvenient for us but we would agree to oblige the Labour Party.
Somebody should have arranged the business. I told Deputy Kyne, who wanted to do other business, that it was not necessary for him to be here today. It is most unfair that this sort of thing should crop up. I contacted the Whips' Office last night and was told it was not possible to take Health today.
I did not know there was a misunderstanding. The Minister for Labour is not here and cannot be here today.
I appreciate that.
The reason Health is on today is that the Fine Gael Party, myself in particular, went out of our way to oblige the Labour Party. We are here to oblige the Labour Party and we do not wish anyone to misinterpret the situation. I am here at grave personal inconvenience to several of my constituents——
And clients.
——who are expecting me elsewhere.
On the Order of Business, I wish to give notice of my intention to raise with the Minister for Local Government on the Adjournment the matter of the dangerous and unsightly condition of Walkinstown Cross.
Is it proposed to resume the Order of Business after Questions today?
That is the intention.
There should be at least an hour left.