Vol. 280 No. 5
It is proposed to take business in the following order: No. 8 (resumed) and No. 9 (resumed); Private Members' Business will be taken from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.— Motion No. 21 (resumed).
It is proposed that the Dáil will adjourn from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. this afternoon.
On the Order of Business, I would refer the Taoiseach to item No. 11 on the Order Paper:
That Dáil Éireann approves the terms of the Agreement establishing an International Energy Programme.
That motion appeared on the Order Paper as far back as last November. It was actually introduced for debate on last Wednesday week. It was represented to us—it is, in fact, written into the agreement—that it had to be passed by Dáil Éireann before 1st May. Does the fact of its not being ordered now indicate that the Government are not prepared to ratify this agreement or is there some change in the terms of the agreement which requires to be passed by adhering Parliaments before 1st May?
No. When the Government failed to get Opposition co-operation we applied for an extension of time and the date for signature has been extended by three months.
Exactly what we advised the Government to do.
Obviously the Government have had second thoughts on it then.
No, but the Opposition are very unco-operative.
Or is it, rather, a hasty commitment that the Government regret?
Why did the Government not bring in the guillotine?
With your permission, Sir, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 84 on last Thursday's Order Paper.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
