Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 May 1979

Vol. 314 No. 10

Allocation of Time: Motion.

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Mr. P. Lalor)

I move:

That in the case of the Finance Bill, 1979 and notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the proceedings on the Committee Stage (resumed) and on the Fourth and Fifth Stages of the Bill, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 7 p.m. to-day by putting from the Chair the Question(s) necessary to bring them to a conclusion; and the Question to be put from the Chair shall be (as the case may require) in relation to Committee Stage "That (all amendments set down by the Minister for Finance and not disposed of, and amendment No. 35 (a) if not already disposed of, are hereby made to the Bill) the Bill, as amended, is hereby agreed to and as amended is reported to the House" and in relation to the Fourth and Fifth Stages "That (any amendments set down by the Minister for Finance, including any requiring Recommittal, and not disposed of are hereby made to the Bill and Recommittal and Fourth Stages are hereby completed and) the Bill is hereby passed".

Mr. P. Barry

This is a motion to conclude the Finance Bill to-night at 7 p.m. The Finance Bill this year has taken exactly 24 hours compared with 48 hours last year. I do not think that is adequate. It is not fitting that this important legislation should be rushed through the House in this way. It was not introduced until 5 April. After that there was a fortnight's recess for Easter and discussion began on 1 May. Less time has been devoted to this important piece of legislation this year than in any other year. Because of its importance——

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the Deputy opposing the motion?

Mr. P. Barry

No, I have already agreed to it but I should not like Deputies on the Government side to begin talking now when we are less than half way through the Committee Stage when there are important controversial sections at the end of the Bill because that would be a filibuster in reverse, so to speak, if when we have agreed to the closure at 7 p.m. they now prevent us from discussing amendments and sections that we consider important.

Mr. P. Lalor

I certainly do not intend to filibuster. This motion is being moved by agreement. I accept the point made by Deputy Barry but I should like to remind him that we have only had 24 hours up to this—apart from the 3½ hours we hope to have now—because of Deputy Barry's own request. As he said, the Bill was circulated on 5 April but we did not take the Second Stage until Tuesday, 1 May at the request of Deputy Barry who did not want to take it in the previous week because it did not suit him. In addition I remind Deputies that the Committee Stage was taken on Tuesday and Wednesday, 15 and 16 May. Again, I wanted Deputy Barry to take Committee Stage on Thursday, 17 May but he indicated that it would not suit him to be here. I shall refresh Deputy Barry's mind and make it quite clear: he said he had to be in Killarney at an IMI conference and he could not take the Committee Stage. As Whip responsible for the ordering of business I am conscious of the fact that this Bill must be through Dáil and Seanad this week. That is why we are agreeing to finish it at 7 p.m. to-night. The fact that there were less hours this year than last year is not the Government's fault.

Mr. P. Barry

This Bill was introduced on the eve of the Easter Recess. I pointed out to the Minister, and it was pointed out to Deputy Lalor at the time, that there was no post and no way of circulating Members on my side of the House who would have contributions to make. They did not see the Bill.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Since it is not opposed there are no grounds for further debate on the motion.

Question put and agreed to.