It is proposed to take Nos. 8, 9 (resumed), 10 and 11. Private Members' Business will be taken from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., No. 28 (resumed). As tomorrow is a Church Holiday it is proposed that the House will meet at 11.30 a.m. instead of 10.30 a.m.
Order of Business.
May I ask the Taoiseach on what date was the increase in the ESB charges submitted to the Government for approval?
That is not a relevant question for the Order of Business.
Surely it is in order to ask the Taoiseach for information concerning the massive increase of 20 per cent in the ESB charges?
There is an orderly way for doing it.
Surely on the Order of Business it is legitimate to do it?
Deputy Cluskey and other Deputies will appreciate that if questions like that were permitted we could be on this matter for hours.
May I ask the Taoiseach——
The Deputy may not ask.
——if in view of the severe effects this will have on social welfare recipients and lower paid workers the Government intend to subsidise the ESB charges?
I am calling item No. 8.
Is that not legitimate?
May I ask the Taoiseach on the Order of Business if an increase of the magnitude of 20 per cent on electricity charges is not bound to have an effect right across the board, including the social welfare recipients? Surely we should have a better explanation from the Government why this is being done?
There may be a time and place but this is not it. Deputies will co-operate with the Chair for the orderly conduct of the House.
(Interruptions.)
In view of the fact that the Taoiseach refuses to answer that question would it be correct to say that the increase was pending before the Government for some weeks?
On a point of order, the Deputy is obviously disorderly. For the purpose of a headline in the press he has just alleged against me that I refused to answer the question which he put in a disorderly fashion and which it would be disorderly for me to reply to. I want to say that on the record because I know the headlines tomorrow will be that the Taoiseach refused to answer Deputy Cluskey's questions.
I would like to put on record the dishonesty of the Government and the Taoiseach. This application has been before the Government for weeks and they refused to sanction it until after the elections.
Why does the Deputy not put down a question?
(Interruptions.)
It is characteristic of the dishonesty of the Government.
(Interruptions.)
(Cavan-Monaghan): On the Order of Business, does the Taoiseach propose seeking a vote of confidence from the House on the result of the recent elections?
If the Deputy wants to put a vote of no confidence down——
(Cavan-Monaghan): No. The Taoiseach should seek one.
When will the Taoiseach resign? He has now received his vote of no confidence from the people. The mandate the Government got in 1977 no longer stands.
This is becoming a circus.
With the Minister the biggest clown here.
Item No. 8, the Minerals Development Bill, 1978.
When will the Government resign? Their mandate no longer stands.
On the Order of Business, could I ask the Taoiseach, in view of the serious effect that the 20 per cent increase in the ESB charges will have, if he will allow Government time for the House to debate it?
I am calling item No. 8.
Surely I can ask if the Taoiseach will allow Government time to discuss the effects of this increase?
(Interruptions.)
The people on the other side are a rabble.
On a point of order——
(Interruptions.)
There is a point of order before the House.
The Chair decides whether or not there is a point of order. I appeal to Deputies. If they do not wish to co-operate with the Chair would they please try to refrain from bringing the House into ridicule?
May I raise a point of order?
The Deputy may raise a point of order.
In view of the serious effects of the 20 per cent increase in ESB charges will the Taoiseach allow Government time for the House to discuss the matter?
That is not a point of order.
It certainly is.
When will the Government resign?
(Interruptions.)
Even though the Minister may be technically in order he is misbehaving if he proceeds to read a speech to a barrage of interruptions. It is childish arrogance and we see it every day.
Is the Deputy saying that a barrage of interruptions should take precedence over the conduct of the House?
It is a farcical situation if we cannot discuss the 20 per cent increase in ESB charges.
The Chair can only depend on the co-operation of the Deputies to proceed in an orderly manner.
And the Minister.