The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. 19, motion re Freedom of Information Act, 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations, 2002; No. 25, statements on European Council, Seville; No. 20, motion re leave to introduce Supplementary Estimate [Vote 35] and, subject to the agreement of No. 20, to take Supplementary Estimate [Vote 35]; and No. 5, Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2002 – Order for Second and Second and Subsequent Stages.
It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and business shall be interrupted not later than 11 p.m.; (2) all divisions demanded in the House this week shall be taken manually; (3) No. 19 shall be decided without debate; (4) the proceedings on No. 25 shall be as follows: (i) the statements shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes and shall be confined to the Taoiseach, the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party, and a representative of the non-group Members, who shall be called upon in that order, and shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; and (ii) immediately following the statements, the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Minister of State, Deputy Roche, shall take questions for a period not exceeding 30 minutes; (5) No. 20 shall be decided without debate and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith, and subject to the agreement of No. 20, Supplementary Estimate [Vote 35] shall be moved and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 40 minutes, and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith, and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the speeches shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 20 minutes, and the speeches shall be confined to the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party, and a representative of the non-group Members, and shall not exceed five minutes in each case; immediately following the speeches, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism shall take questions for a period not exceeding 20 minutes; the Second and Remaining Stages of No. 5 shall be taken today and the following arrangements shall apply: Second Stage to conclude within 90 minutes, if not previously concluded; Committee and Remaining Stages to conclude at 11 p.m., if not previously concluded; and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion by one question in each case which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. Private Members' Business shall be No. 35, motion re tourism.