I have received notice from the Taoiseach that he wishes to make an announcement for the information of the House.
Financial Resolutions, 1986. - Miniterial Assignments and Titles: Announcement by Taoiseach.
On a point of order, I wish solemnly to protest at this procedure.
That is not a point of order.
I want to ask then if the Taoiseach is in order. This House has been in session all today. The Taoiseach had every opportunity to come into the Dáil and make the announcement which he now proposes to make.
That is not a point of order. The Deputy is not in order.
I think we are about to witness a very disreputable piece of parliamentary trickery. The Taoiseach is about to treat the Dáil with contempt——
That is not in order.
He is about to make a major announcement concerning the constitution of the Government.
Deputy Haughey is not in order.
Will you listen to the point I want to make?
The Deputy is making a speech. That is trying to talk the Deputy's way around being out of order.
I will ask you a question then. Is it in your view in order for a Taoiseach to make a major announcement concerning the constitution of his Government at a time which denies this House any opportunity to respond adequately and appropriately?
I have got the question and I will answer it. The procedure that is being adopted is a procedure that has been adopted on many previous occasions when there was a change in the personnel of the Government. It is done by way of announcement by the Taoiseach. There is no motion before the House. There is no response or speech from any other person. Even since I assumed office in the Chair this precedent has been followed and I was following long established precedents.
At ten minutes before the adjournment?
It does not matter. There is ample time to make the announcement that I understand has to be made. I will have no alternative if the House is obstructed but to adjourn the House at 5 p.m. I appeal earnestly to the Leader of the Opposition to let the business of the House proceed.
Your appeal to me would fall on much more receptive ears if I had been treated with some courtesy in this matter, if I had even been given some indication of the statement the Taoiseach proposes to make, if I had been given a copy of that statement.
He is not making a statement. He is making an announcement.
Do not let your frayed nerves show too much. A Cheann Comhairle, do you think it is in accordance with the traditions and precedents of this House that the Taoiseach should make an announcement of this importance at 4.50 p.m. when the House will have no opportunity to absorb or respond——
It is chicanery.
The House would not have an opportunity. I must impress upon the Deputy that under the procedure that has been adopted on previous occasions there is no response speech from any other Member unless——
I give way, but with this final comment that I think that this is a piece of parliamentary trickery, of chicanery, shameful chicanery.
An Taoiseach.
A Cheann Comhairle, I wish leave to announce, for the information of the Dáil that, with effect from tomorrow, I am, in relation to Ministers,
terminating the assignment of the Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism to John Bruton and assigning that Department, which will be re-named the Department of Industry and Commerce, to Michael Noonan;
terminating the assignment of the Department of the Environment to Liam Kavanagh and assigning that Department to John Boland;
terminating the assignment of the Department of Defence to Patrick Cooney and assigning that Department to Paddy O'Toole;
terminating the assignment of the Department of the Public Service to John Boland and assigning that Department to Ruairí Quinn;
terminating the assignment of the Department of Fisheries and Forestry to Paddy O'Toole and assigning that Department, to which I propose to transfer the tourism functions of the Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism, to Liam Kavanagh;
terminating the assignment of the Department of Finance to Alan Dukes and assigning that Department to John Bruton;
terminating the assignment of the Department of Social Welfare to Barry Desmond and assigning that Department to Gemma Hussey:
terminating the assignment of the Department of Justice to Michael Noonan and assigning that Department to Alan Dukes; and
terminating the assignment of the Department of Education to Gemma Hussey and assigning that Department to Patrick Cooney.
Other Ministers will retain the functions currently assigned to them except where otherwise mentioned in this announcement.
In relation to Ministers of State, I have today accepted the resignations of,
Deputy Joe Bermingham from office as Minister of State at the Department of Finance;
Deputy Michael D'Arcy from office as Minister of State at the Department of Fisheries and Forestry and at the Department of the Gaeltacht; and
Deputy Donal Creed from office as Minister of State at the Department of Education.
The Government today appointed the following Ministers of State to the Departments mentioned with the responsibilities as indicated:
Seán Barrett to be Leader of the House with responsibility for Dáil Reform, and Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Sport;
Jim O'Keeffe to be Minister of State at the Department of the Public Service;
Paddy Hegarty to be Minister of State at the Departments of Industry and Commerce, and Agriculture, with special responsibility for the Food Sector;
Edward Collins to be Minister of State at the Department of Industry and Commerce with special responsibility for Commerce and Services, and also at the Department of Energy;
John Donnellan to be Minister of State at the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Tourism with special responsibility for Fisheries;
Michael Moynihan to be Minister of State at the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Tourism with special responsibility for Tourism;
George Birmingham to be Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs and Development Co-operation;
Fergus O'Brien to be Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip, at the Department of the Environment with special responsibility for Urban Development, and also at the Department of Defence;
Enda Kenny to be Minister of State at the Departments of Labour and Education with special responsibility for Youth Affairs;
Toddy O'Sullivan to be Minister of State at the Department the Environment with special responsibility for Grants Administration; and
Avril Doyle to be Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, and at the Department of the Environment with special responsibility for Environmental Protection.
Other Ministers of State will retain their current functions.
A rescue package.
I want to give notice that as the Taoiseach has failed to deal with the political situation that has arisen and has done nothing more than move the same old, dispirited——
I cannot hear a speech in the House. I call on Deputy Hilliard to resume on item No. 22.
As the Taoiseach has done nothing but remove the same old dispirited——
(Interruptions.)