It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 5 and 6 and in 6, Votes 8, 34 and 35. I understand that through an oversight No. I was not circulated, but that the Opposition are agreeable to taking all Stages of the Bill today. Arrangements have been made to circulate a copy of the Bill to Opposition spokesmen.
Order of Business.
The Taoiseach has just said that the Bill had not been circulated. It has just now been circulated while I am on my feet. It is reasonable to ask the Taoiseach to postpone debate on the matter for some minutes to give our spokesmen an opportunity of reading it.
After the introduction of the Bill it is circulated. Is that satisfactory, Deputy Lynch?
I will let our spokesmen have it while I am making my next point. My next point relates to the Finance Bill which is ordered for next Tuesday. Can the Taoiseach give us any indication of when it will be circulated?
I cannot, at this stage. There are, as is usual with Finance Bills, some drafting problems. I will try to have the Bill circulated as soon as possible.
Does that indicate that the Bill will be reasonably complicated?
A Finance Bill is never very simple.
Some of them are. This one may not be.
They do not always do the right thing. We are anxious to have this Bill carefully drafted.
If there were drafting difficulties it would indicate that there were some complications and that the Opposition might require some days to consider the Bill. I speak of "days" as being very much in the plural. The Second Reading of the Bill and its subsequent Stages will take a considerable time. I would like to indicate to the Taoiseach at this stage that the debate may be a rather long drawn-out one.
I want to give notice that it is my intention to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of a Private Notice Question which I put down this morning to the Minister for Labour which, due to an error in the office, did not come to light in time as a Private Notice Question. The question reads: "To ask the Minister for Labour if he will intervene at once with a view to settling the dispute between Aer Rianta and the airport security force at Shannon in view of the enormous losses being incurred by the continued closure of the airport."
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.