It is proposed to take business in the following Order: Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 (Resumed), 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Proceedings on the Bills being restored to the Order Paper today will commence, if reached, on the conclusion of the proceedings on item No. 15. Private Members' Business will be item No. 16. By agreement, proceedings on item No. 16 will be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. today if not previously concluded. The contribution of the opening speaker shall not exceed 20 minutes, other speakers shall not exceed 15 minutes each and the concluding speaker shall be called on not later than 8.25 p.m.
Order of Business.
On yesterday's Order Paper, all stages of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill were to be taken. Today it says "Bills restored to the Order Paper will be taken". For the purpose of putting forward amendments it is important that we would have some idea of what precisely will be happening in regard to the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill if it is restored to the Order Paper.
If the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill is restored to the Order Paper it will then take its place on the Order Paper and will proceed in the ordinary way. It has been provided in the Order of Business which has just been read out that it will be taken first after item No. 15. When item No. 15 has been concluded, the Second Stage of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill will be taken.
I am not too sure of the procedure for putting forward amendments. I want to be assured that no guillotine procedures will be used to prevent amendments from being put forward if a number of stages of this Bill were taken today. We do not know from the Order Paper how many stages will be taken today.
The Chair has discretion to accept amendments at short notice and, if the Bill is restored by a motion today and is reached on today's Order of Business, then the Chair would exercise its discretion to accept amendments handed in by the Deputies on short notice.
There is no intention to shortcircuit proceedings in such a way as to make it difficult for any Deputy to put down an amendment, nor is there any suggestion of a time limit on debate as has been suggested, for reasons I fail to comprehend, by one newspaper this morning.
I am glad to have the Taoiseach's assurance that there is no intention of shortcircuiting this debate. I presume it will be fully debated in the House and that all interested Deputies will have an opportunity to make their contribution?
Certainly.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the decision by the Minister for Health to close down the maternity hospital unit in Trim, County Meath.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Does the Taoiseach intend to make a statement concerning the meeting between Mr. Prior and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Barry?
I do not think that arises on the Order of Business. The Deputy should approach the Whips about that matter.
It is a reasonable question to ask.
Many reasonable questions are asked——
You were very adept and adroit at asking questions when you felt they were necessary.
The Deputy will appreciate that sometimes sitting in those benches one gets an idea of how things should not be done. I suggest that the Deputy should ask his party Whip to contact the Government Whip.
I do not want to be influenced just by what I see on British television but last night on BBC——
The Deputy is making the case why the Chair thinks that matters like this should not be raised on the Order of Business.
If we are going to have an all-Ireland police force we should be told about it here rather than on British television.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the reduction in the grant-in-aid to Bord na gCapall and the proposed redundancies therein.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the imminent closure of the Clondalkin Paper Mills and the break-up of the production machinery in that plant.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
In recent months the Government indicated that they would introduce an amendment to the Private Rented Dwellings Act passed in this House last year to establish a tribunal. Will the Government indicate when we can expect to have the amendment before the House?
Work is in progress on the establishment of a rents tribunal. I hope to have the matter before the House at an early date.
I would appreciate it if the Minister would give the House more detail. I understood from the former Minister for the Environment when he replied to a similar question some months ago that is was almost ready and that it would be introduced last autumn. Are we to take it that the legislation is not ready and will not be ready for some time?
It will be before the House at an early date.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the imminent closure of the Ranks milling concern.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.