Before you ask Deputy O'Malley to report progress may I protest against the proposed adjournment, on many heads, which possibly I will give later? I should like to ask the Minister for Finance, before this break occurs, what has happened to the promise made——
Private Business. - Business of Dáil.
I am afraid the Deputy is out of order.
I have not asked the question yet.
Acting Chairman
The Deputy may not interrupt the business of the Dáil.
I want to ask the Minister for Finance what has happened to the undertaking given a month ago to make a statement in regard to the report of the Public Accounts Committee of Inquiry that was held almost a year ago and that we have not got from him since?
I am happy to state that I have a statement ready to make and will be pleased to make it either now or, if you like, when the Dáil resumes at 2.30.
Acting Chairman
I am afraid, according to the Order of Business, the Minister cannot do it now. I must ask Deputy O'Malley to report progress. Business is suspended from this minute.
Can I make the statement?
Acting Chairman
The Order of Business is agreed.
The Order of Business was agreed this morning and cannot be changed.
(Interruptions.)
This undertaking was given to the Dáil.
Acting Chairman
I can only go on the Order of Business before me according to which the business is now suspended for one hour.
Business suspended at 1.30 p.m. and resumed at 2.30 p.m.
Finance Bill, 1973. Section 66.
Were we not to get some statement here at 2.30 p.m. in regard to the other matter that was held over for a couple of days?
The Chair has to proceed with the Order of Business, and the Finance Bill is now before the House.
So we do not deal with this other measure at all?
It is not in order to discuss that now.
Could I ask for guidance in this regard? Is it not transgressing the Orders of the House that, although it was announced on Tuesday, there was to be no debate on the Taoiseach's Estimate before we adjourn?
The Order of Business arranged today is being followed.
There was another matter that I raised before we had the break, and I am wondering whether the Minister for Finance has anything to offer in regard to it.
I cannot interrupt the Order of Business at this stage.
Could I just say——
The Minister may not make a statement without the consent of the House.
I am not proposing to make a statement. I just want to point out that on the record is an undertaking that I would make a statement to the House this month. Having regard to criticisms which are offered that Ministers make statements outside this House which ought to be made in the House, I want to make the statement here, and I trust the House will be good enough to give me that leave in order that it can be made.
It can only be made with the consent of the House.
My understanding is that the Order of Business for today was discussed and agreed between the Taoiseach and the Leader of this Party and announced to the House this morning. No objection was made to it at that time, and I certainly could not agree to any change in that order that has been arranged.
That is the end of the matter.
With respect, may I just say this? The Government indicated to the Opposition their desire to have this statement made to the House today and it was indicated that consent would not be forthcoming. It is, of course within the rights of the Opposition to refuse that consent.
We must accept that that is the end of it.
I want to draw attention to the fact that, consent having been refused in the House, the statement will have to be made elsewhere and the Opposition cannot then properly complain that the statement has been made outside the House when I am here ready to make the statement to the House, to comply with the undertaking given and to comply with the request of Deputy Blaney.
I must claim the right to be allowed to say this much in reply to what the Minister has said. The remaining business to be disposed of was agreed between the Taoiseach and the Leader of this party. It did not include the matter to which the Minister is referring. Therefore, it is a matter between the Minister and the Taoiseach and not for this House. The business was agreed between the Leaders of both sides and the Minister is now trying to go back on that arrangement.
We must proceed with the business.
Consent was sought for this and denied.
There is obvious collusion between the Taoiseach and the Leader of the Opposition to prevent Deputies having a say on this most important matter. There has been collusion for the last week. Promises were made and broken, the excuse being that it is in compliance with the orders of the House.