It is proposed to take item No. 5. Private Members' Business shall be No. 11 and it is proposed that proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. today.
Order of Business.
Is it agreed that proceedings be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m.? Agreed.
On the Order of Business, and concerning directly the Order of the House, I wish in the light of our discussion yesterday which became rather acerbic at one or two moments to make a proposal to the Chair through the Committee on Procedure and Privileges aimed at ensuring that the Opposition parties will have the opportunity of raising with the Taoiseach, whom I know is quite prepared to deal with matters in this way, at relatively short notice matters that appear to be urgent to the Opposition so that it can be done in a way that will have the agreement of the House and that will not put any strain on the tolerance of the Chair. I will be making those proposals to the Chair very shortly.
The Chair will be happy to accept any recommendations to revise Standing Orders as they exist that come from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
Time is a great healer.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the decision of the Government to close the farm classification office with the resultant loss of 130 jobs.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he has considered since last week my request for time to debate the Anglo-Irish Agreement and if he has had discussion with party leaders on the subject?
Not yet.
Will the Taoiseach give the matter consideration during the recess with a view to having it debated early in the new term?
I will consider it and discuss the matter with the party leaders but since the Deputy raised it here I have been giving it some consideration and I can see certain difficulties and dangers in regard to it. However, it is something we can discuss on a constructive basis.
I endeavoured to raise yesterday on the Adjournment the dangerous and defective state of Drung school and I should like permission to raise that matter today on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like permission to raise on the Adjournment the proposed closure of the Cappanalea Outdoor Pursuit Education Centre.
I will communicate with the Deputy. I should like to ask Deputies who are not remaining for the debate to leave as quietly and as quickly as possible and those who are remaining to give their full attention to Deputy Jim O'Keeffe who has 35 minutes.