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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Oct 1992

Vol. 423 No. 1

Requests to Move Adjournment of Dáil Under Standing Order 30.

Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of related notices under Standing Order 30 from Deputies De Rossa, John Bruton and Spring. I propose to call on the Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office. I call first on Deputy Proinsias De Rossa to state the matter of which he has given me notice.

In accordance with Standing Order 30 I request leave to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the serious economic and monetary crisis facing the country increasing the underlying trend of unemployment, threatening the jobs of workers in exporting companies and increasing mortgage interest rates enormously. I contend there is an absolute necessity for European-wide action to curb currency speculation threatening not only our economy but that of many other European countries.

A Cheann Comhairle, I seek your permission to move the Adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 30 to discuss the urgent and important matter of the increase in interest rates and the currency position, in particular, their impact on jobs and on the living standards of our people.

Further to the request made by the Parliamentary Labour Party to the Taoiseach's office last week and to my notice to you, Sir, under Standing Order 30 I request permission to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to consider the following motion:

That Dáil Éireann views with extreme concern the rapidly deteriorating situation in the economy, as evidenced by historic levels of unemployment, significant threats to home owners and business from increases in interest rates, a draconian series of cuts in basic social welfare programmes, and the instability caused by the European monetary crisis and the impact of the devaluation of sterling.

This House resolves to hold a full scale debate on this crisis and calls on the Government to facilitate such debate by the allocation of two days of Government time for this purpose.

In reply I want to inform the Deputies concerned and the House that I have received notice from the Government Chief Whip advising me that it is proposed to have statements tomorrow and Friday on recent events in the monetary market affecting the Irish economy. Accordingly, the Dáil will have an opportunity of discussing the matters. Therefore, I cannot grant leave to move the motions.

I wish to withdraw my motion for the reason given but I would be somewhat concerned if this proposed debate were to be concerned solely with monetary matters. We must be concerned also with the fact that mortgage interest rates have risen and that a large number of people have lost their jobs, which matters must be dealt with also.

It might be more appropriate to raise such matters when this proposal is before us tomorrow.

May I ask you, Sir, for my information and that of the House whether it is your intention to allow the debate which the Leaders of the Opposition parties here sought and to inform us whether this Government proposal is a replacement of that intention. It appears to me that statements on these issues hardly constitute an adequate way of dealing with the current position.

It is immaterial really. I would remind the House, as I have done before, that the only motion before the House under Standing Order 30 is that the House do adjourn to allow discussion of the matters raised. In respect of statements under Standing Order 41, I should say that that Standing Order treats the matter in a similar fashion. Therefore, in effect, under both procedures, the matter is discussed. There is no substantive motion before the House.

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