It is proposed to take Nos. 28, 7 and 29 (Vote 50). By agreement the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and not later than 11.30 p.m. and business shall be interrupted at 11 p.m. Also by agreement No. 29 (Vote 50) shall be taken not later than 8.30 p.m. today and the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 11 p.m. today and the Minister for Energy shall be called on to conclude not later than 10.45 p.m. today. Also by agreement, if a division is challenged on the Estimate today, the taking of such division shall be postponed until 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 18 June 1986. Private Members' Business shall be No. 47.
Order of Business.
Are the arrangements for taking today's business agreed?
Subject to a modest request about Nos. 7 and 29. Would it be possible, before we discuss and vote on this Estimate, to have a copy of it?
Is this No. 7?
No. 7, the Supplementary Estimate on Energy.
I understand it is circulated after it has been——
A Cheann Comhairle, it will be circulated very shortly to the Leader of the Opposition and his spokesman, I imagine within an hour.
Could the Minister give us any idea of what it is about, the building of a nuclear power station or——
In the post-Carnsore era I have neither the ambition nor the intention to build any nuclear power stations. I can assure the Deputy of that.
(Interruptions.)
One never knows what the Government are up to these days.
The Deputy was in fairly good form himself yesterday after lunch.
(Interruptions.)
Order. The procedure is that this Estimate, No. 7, is not circulated until leave to introduce is granted. If the House wishes, there can be a request made to introduce it and it can then be circulated.
A Cheann Comhairle, you are asking us to give leave to introduce a Supplementary Estimate, to agree to it, and we have no idea what it is about. Probably we should be able to take these things and not really ask any questions about them——
Democracy under threat.
It is a pure formality.
Do you want me to keep going, a Cheann Comhairle?
I do not want anything except to proceed in accordance with the rules of the House.
The Government want us to give permission to introduce this Supplementary Estimate. I know it is an impossible request but I would just like to know what that Supplementary Estimate is about.
When it is introduced in the House the Deputy will find out all about it.
That question may be asked when the item is called.
With due respect, Sir, I am asking a question now through you.
Yes but, Deputy Haughey, let us not get confused about this.
Deputy Haughey wants to be given leave to ask for leave to introduce a Supplementary Estimate.
The Minister for Justice's leaving will come soon enough.
They are full of leavings over there.
Order, please. The Chair does not want help from either side of the House. He will deal with this matter.
(Interruptions.)
Are the arrangements for today's business agreed?
Before agreeing I would like some information about this Supplementary Estimate.
There is no mystery about it. When item No. 7 is reached and called — nobody has to agree to anything — it is at that stage that the Deputy is entitled to ask questions and get information. It is as simple as that.
I am not agreeing to its being taken until I know what it is about. I cannot agree to the Order of Business until the Minister for Energy gives me some idea of what this Supplementary Estimate is about.
I suppose this is part of the battle with the Chair.
The Suplementary Estimate for my Department is a technical matter to facilitate the provision of a sum of money for the INPC consequent on the agreement with Chevron for the maintenance of the Whiddy terminal. The Department of Finance require that a Vote be taken in this House for the provision of a sum of money from the $44 million which Chevron will be paying the Government on 18 June 1986.
It has to do with Whiddy Island.
Yes, the terminal at Whiddy Island.
Thank you.
The Deputy would have found out——
It may not have dawned on Deputy Dukes that he is no longer in the Department of Finance.
He was kicked out of it.
He left in disgrace.
The Deputy would have found out about it had he dealt with it under the normal procedures.
He will never be back in the Department.
He was not afraid to bring in a budget. He did not fall off a horse.
(Interruptions.)
Order please.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the structural collapse of Cavan Courthouse which almost killed workers there.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the dumping of eggs from Northern Ireland into this country.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the threatened closure of Wexford Cutlery Company in Enniscorthy.
I will communicate with the Deputy.