It is proposed to take No. 15, Votes 42 and 48 and No. 16. No. 16 is being taken in conjunction with No. 15, Vote 42. By agreement there will be no Private Members' Business this evening.
Order of Business.
(Cavan): Might I ask on the Order of Business when it is proposed to take the Planning Appeals Bill, 1969, First Stage, which stands in the name of myself and other Fine Gael Deputies and also when it is proposed to take the Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill, 1969, Second Stage, which is a Government measure?
Not yet.
I understand they are not ready yet.
(Cavan): I can tell the Minister if he is not ready to go on with his measure the Private Members Bill is good and ready and can be gone on with at any time.
There is no point in wasting time.
(Cavan): Can I ask when the Minister expects the Government measure will be ready?
It is expected shortly.
(Cavan): Could the Minister give any indication of what he means by shortly? Will it be taken before Easter?
I hope so.
Imagine interviewing him on TV.
I would like to ask you, Sir, if you would kindly refer to the Committee of Procedure and Privileges the fact that a Member of the Oireachtas drove his car through a picket line at the Dáil Gate last Thursday pushing a prone man several yards across the roadway, the Member making no effort to allow the Garda to clear a way for his car as they had been doing to facilitate cars all that day.
Might I point out to Deputy Dunne that the Chair has received no notice of this Question and that it is a matter for himself to have this matter taken up with the Committee of Procedure and Privileges, if appropriate.
I will do that at the first opportunity. I think it is time the House was made aware of this disgraceful occurrence.
We cannot have a debate at this stage.