Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Jun 2002

Vol. 553 No. 1

Allocation of Time: Motion.

The Taoiseach:

I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the Dáil shall sit later than 4.45 p.m. tonight; that business shall be interrupted at the conclusion of No. 6; that the proceedings on No. 5 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 7.30 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the speech of the Taoiseach and every leader of a party recognised as a group shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (b) the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case, and (c) Members may share time; that the proceedings on No. 6 shall be decided without debate and shall be taken immediately on the conclusion of No. 5; that, on the conclusion of business tonight, the Dáil shall adjourn forthwith until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 18 June 2002, and that, until the Dáil shall otherwise order, the order in which questions to members of the Government other than the Taoiseach shall be asked in accordance with Standing Order 36(2) shall be that in which members of the Government will be listed in a resolution approving their nomination by the Taoiseach for appointment by the President.

An Ceann Comhairle:

Is the motion agreed to?

Mr. Sargent:

It is not agreed to. The Taoiseach outlined very clearly one of the problems that has and will increasingly become a feature of this Dáil, that is, the failure to recognise smaller parties and Independent Deputies. He has outlined an Order of Business which relates to parties of seven members or more. He is, therefore, essentially disenfranchising the other groups in this Dáil which are considerable and numerous. I ask you, a Cheann Comhairle, to try to ensure there is order in the House, that it is not characterised by any disruptive behaviour by those who need to have their voices heard, which under the current rules are being denied to them. The Taoiseach might reflect on this and consider making some time available to groups which he has not included in the order as read by him.

An Ceann Comhairle:

That is an issue for the committee dealing with Dáil reform. Standing Orders cannot be changed. It is not a matter for the Taoiseach.

Mr. Sargent:

It is a matter for this Dáil and will increasingly become an issue for it.

An Ceann Comhairle:

It is a matter which should be put before the committee dealing with Dáil reform.

Mr. Kenny:

On a point of order, may I ask, in respect of the constitutional provisions regarding the announcement of members of the Government, whether the press has been circulated with the appointments in advance of Members of the House?

An Ceann Comhairle:

Is the motion agreed to?

Mr. Kenny:

In the past, a Member of this side of the House had to resign as a Minister of State because information relevant to the budget was inadvertently leaked half an hour prior to the budget announcement.

An Ceann Comhairle:

That is not a matter for the Chair.

Mr. Quinn:

On a point of information, perhaps this is a flavour of things to come. Someone from the Government side should indicate whether Members who spent long hours working to get elected have in fact been snubbed in such an open manner.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Mr. Quinn:

We must establish whether someone from the Government press office released the details of the formation of the new Government prior to this House being told. If so, will the Taoiseach take responsibility for this leak?

The Taoiseach:

The rule is that the Taoiseach's speech is circulated among the Members of the House and the Press Gallery when he rises to speak. Perhaps my speech was circulated when I rose to speak on the motion. If that is the case, it should not have happened. The speech should not have been circulated until I rose to speak, as is the normal procedure. In any case, I am certain that my speech was not circulated earlier because the person who brought the scripts to this Chamber for distribution to everybody was with me until I came through the door.

An Ceann Comhairle:

Is the motion agreed?

Mr. Sargent:

No, it is not agreed.

Question put.

Tá

Ahern, Bertie.Ahern, Dermot.Ahern, Michael.Ahern, Noel.Andrews, Barry.Ardagh, Seán.Aylward, Liam.Blaney, Niall.Brady, Johnny.Brady, Martin.Brennan, Séamus.Browne, John.Callanan, Joe.Callely, Ivor.Carey, Pat.Carty, John.Cassidy, Donie.Collins, Michael.Cooper-Flynn, Beverley.Coughlan, Mary.Cowen, Brian.Cregan, John.Cullen, Martin.Curran, John.Davern, Noel.Dempsey, Noel.Dempsey, Tony.Dennehy, John.de Valera, Síle.Devins, Jimmy.Ellis, John.Fahey, Frank.Finneran, Michael.Fitzpatrick, Dermot.Fleming, Seán.Fox, Mildred.Gallagher, Pat The Cope.Glennon, Jim.Grealish, Noel.Hanafin, Mary.Harney, Mary.Haughey, Seán.Healy-Rae, Jackie.Hoctor, Marie.Jacob, Joe.Keaveney, Cecilia.

Kelleher, Billy.Kelly, Peter.Killeen, Tony.Kirk, Seamus.Kitt, Tom.Lenihan, Brian.Lenihan, Conor.McCreevy, Charlie.McDaid, James.McDowell, Michael.McEllistrim, Tom.McGuinness, John.Martin, Micheál.Moloney, John.Moynihan, Donal.Moynihan, Michael.Mulcahy, Michael.Nolan, M. J.Ó Cuív, Éamon.Ó Fearghail, Seán.O'Connor, Charlie.O'Dea, Willie.O'Donnell, Liz.O'Donoghue, John.O'Donovan, Denis.O'Flynn, Noel.O'Keeffe, Batt.O'Keeffe, Ned.O'Malley, Fiona.O'Malley, Tim.Parlon, Tom.Power, Peter.Power, Seán.Roche, Dick.Ryan, Eoin.Sexton, Mae.Smith, Brendan.Smith, Michael.Treacy, Noel.Wallace, Dan.Wallace, Mary.Walsh, Joe.Wilkinson, Ollie.Woods, Michael J.Wright, G.V.

Níl

Boyle, Dan.Breen, James.Broughan, Thomas P.Burton, Joan.Connolly, Paudge.Costello, Joe.Crowe, Seán.Cowley, Jerry.Cuffe, Ciaran.Ferris, Martin.Gilmore, Éamon.Gogarty, Paul Niochlas.Gormley, John.Gregory, Tony.Harkin, Marian.Healy, Seamus.Higgins, Joe.Higgins, Michael D.Howlin, Brendan.Lynch, Kathleen.McGrath, Finian.

McHugh, Paddy.McManus, Liz.Moynihan-Cronin, Breeda.Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.Ó Snódaigh, Aengus.O'Shea, Brian.O'Sullivan, Jan.Pattison, Seamus.Penrose, Willie.Quinn, Ruairí.Rabbitte, Pat.Ryan, Eamon.Ryan, Seán.Sargent, Trevor.Sherlock, Joe.Shortall, Roisín.Stagg, Emmet.Twomey, Liam.Upton, Mary.Wall, Jack.

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Brennan and Hanafin; Níl, Deputies Boyle and Crowe.

Question declared carried.