The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. 19, Wildlife (Amendment) Bill, 1999 – Financial Resolution; No. 45, Statements on Northern Ireland; No. 46, Planning and Development Bill, 1999 [Seanad] – Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 19 shall be decided without debate; and the pro ceedings on No. 45, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes and the statements which shall be confined to the Taoiseach and the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case. Private Members' business shall be No. 99 – Motion re. Credit Unions.
On behalf of the Government, I convey heartfelt condolences to the families, relatives, comrades and friends of the four young Irish soldiers who were working for peace in Lebanon and who died yesterday in a tragic road traffic accident. Our thoughts are also with the families of the five soldiers injured in the same incident. I am glad all five are out of danger. The Minister for Defence, Deputy Michael Smith, is visiting the families of the deceased soldiers this afternoon to pass on the Government's condolences on their sad loss.