It is proposed to take Nos. 4, 5, 3, 6, 7, 8, 1 and subject to the agreement of No. 6, No. A1 on a Supplementary Order Paper. It is also proposed subject to the agreement of No. 8 to take Supplementary Estimates, Votes 7, 10, 20, 22, 25-29, 32, 34, 39-42 and 44. It is further proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders that (1) Nos. 4, 5, 3 and 6 shall be decided without debate; (2) Nos. 7 and 8 shall be decided without debate and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith; (3) subject to the agreement of No. 8, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the proceedings on Supplementary Estimates; (i) the Supplementary Estimates shall be moved and debated together and decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair not later than 4.30 p.m. and if a division is demanded on such question, it shall be taken forthwith, (ii) a general debate may arise thereon, (iii) the speech of the Minister for Finance and of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael, Labour, Progressive Democrat and Democratic Left Parties shall not exceed ten minutes and (iv) the speech of each other Member called on shall not exceed ten minutes, (4) the proceedings on the Second and Remaining Stages of No. 1, if not previously concluded shall be brought to a conclusion at 5.30 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall in relation to amendments include only amendments set down or accepted by the Minister for Finance and the speech of the Minister and of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael, Labour, Progressive Democrat and Democratic Left Parties in the debate on the Second Stage shall not exceed ten minutes in each case: (5) the Committee and Remaining Stages of No. A1 shall be taken together without debate not later than 5.45 p.m. and shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall in relation to amendments include only amendments set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice; (6) there shall be no Private Members' Business and no Question Time this week; (7) on the conclusion of proceedings on item A1, the Dáil shall adjourn forthwith.
Order of Business.
Are the proposals for dealing with Nos. 4, 5, 3 and 6 agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with Nos. 7 and 8 satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with the debate on the Supplementary Estimates satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with the Second and Remaining Stages of No. 1 agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with the Committee and Remaining Stages of No. A1 satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Is it agreed that after the completion of item A1 the Dáil shall adjourn? Agreed. Is it agreed that there shall be no Private Members' Business and no Question Time this week? Agreed.
On the Order of Business, some days ago I wrote to the Taoiseach asking if he would call a meeting of the party leaders in the House to consider the question of the appointment of the Irish Commissioner, and he indicated in reply that he would consider this matter in the aftermath of the Edinburgh Summit. Has he given consideration to that approach to the appointment of a Commissioner and, if so, when might the meeting take place?
I have considered the matter in the aftermath of the Edinburgh Summit and I am awaiting information from Brussels on the legal position and the latest date by which an appointment must be made. the House will appreciate that it has been postponed already from 7 December to 21 December. I have made my position and that of the Government abundantly clear at all times, that we were delaying the appointment but at the end of the day if the national interest required that such an appointment had to be made the Government would proceed with it. I am awaiting information on the final date but I expect that the legal position is that the appointment will have to be made, at the latest, before the end of this week. However this has not been confirmed. All 12 member states have to receive the names of the Commissioners in advance to have them approved by their respective governments before they direct their ambassadors at the conclave to agree unanimously to the 12 names. Those are the constraints and the Government must act in the national interest within them.
May I inquire from the Taoiseach if at this stage all the other member states have made their nominations?
No, unless the position has changed since yesterday, when the Dutch had still to confirm the position of Mr. Frans Andriessen and the French Government had to confirm the position of Madame Schrivener. I am keeping in close touch with the position but at the weekend the Dutch told me that they expected to be in a position to put forward their nomination today or at the latest tomorrow.
Has the second Italian name been put forward yet?
Yes.