Under Standing Order 24 the business for today is No. 1, motion re recent developments in Iraq. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the proceedings on No. 1 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 4.30 p.m. today. The following arrangements shall apply. The speech of the Taoiseach and the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party and the Technical Group, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case. The speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case and Members may share time. The Minister for Foreign Affairs shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which will not exceed 20 minutes.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal for dealing with the motion agreed?
I object to this. The House meets today in special session to discuss a situation where an invasion has taken place in Iraq and war has been declared without a UN mandate. Part of the discussion here involves Ireland's support for this war. I have had many requests from Members on this side of the House who wish to contribute to this debate and because of that I suggest the Whips should get together to work out a more acceptable timeframe. I object to the time limit of 4.30 p.m. that has been put on this debate.
I agree with Deputy Kenny. Given the gravity of the situation and the fact that so many Members on both sides of the House want to contribute, the time is inadequate. The explanation is that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs have to leave for Brussels. That can be accommodated, if necessary. The House has managed to do important business in recent times in the absence of the Taoiseach.
The gravity of the issue we are here to debate warranted a meeting of the Whips before the session to evaluate and plan how the debate could be dealt with most effectively. It is a matter of considerable regret that this unilateral pre-emptive action by the Government has meant that there has been no input on the length of the debate or on the need for questions to clarify Government policy, which is bizarre. This needs to be addressed. The debate should be longer, the House should have an input into how it is structured and there should be a period for questions. We should resolve this before we proceed.
I join with my colleagues on the Opposition benches in requesting that the Taoiseach indicate before business proceeds that he will instruct the Chief Whip to allow a meeting of the Whips whereupon they can determine an extension of the time to accommodate full participation by Members of the House. In reality, the time allocated allows for only myself and a colleague from my team to participate in a very limited way. Time is severely constrained and I ask the Taoiseach, given the gravity of the matter we are here to address, to accede to the Opposition request for an extension of the time allowed.
I cannot accede to that request. I made a commitment to the House—
Which House? The White House.
—that I would recall it under Standing Orders if a war developed. This is not a unilateral decision. It is my prerogative and it is the only way of recalling the House. Obviously, Deputy Sargent does not understand the Standing Orders, but that is the position.
I understand them all too well.
On 29 and 30 January and 11 and 18 February we had debates on Iraq. On Leaders' Questions I have taken an average of two to three questions on Iraq every week.
We are looking for answers.
The six hours today should allow representatives of all political parties in the House to state their positions. This country will not be participating in military action. It will not be participating in war because—
The Taoiseach is facilitating it.
Allow the Taoiseach to speak without interruption, please.
—there is no second resolution, as I outlined continually. Most Parliaments, including those involved in the war, which have had a debate this week and which are much larger than ours, have not spent anything like the proportion of time we have spent discussing the matter. I hope we can have a reasoned debate today. I know there are people with different views and that they feel passionate about these issues. We have control over some of the issues, but not over most of them. In the six hours allowed, parties and their spokespersons will have an opportunity to put their views in a non-personal and non-acrimonious way, and I look forward to this.
Question put: "That the proposal for dealing with recent developments in Iraq be agreed to."
Tá
|
Ahern, Bertie.Ahern, Dermot.Ahern, Michael.Ahern, Noel.Andrews, Barry.Ardagh, Seán.Blaney, Niall.Brady, Johnny.Brady, Martin.Brennan, Seamus.Browne, John.Callanan, Joe.Callely, Ivor.Carey, Pat.Carty, John.Cassidy, Donie.Collins, Michael.Cooper-Flynn, Beverley.Coughlan, Mary.Cowen, Brian.Cullen, Martin.Curran, John.de Valera, Síle.Dempsey, Tony.Dennehy, John.Ellis, John.Fitzpatrick, Dermot.Fleming, Seán.Gallagher, Pat The Cope.Glennon, Jim.Grealish, Noel.Hanafin, Mary.Harney, Mary.Haughey, Seán.Hoctor, Máire.Keaveney, Cecilia.Kelleher, Billy. |
Killeen, Tony.Kirk, Seamus.Lenihan, Brian.Lenihan, Conor.McCreevy, Charlie.McDaid, James.McEllistrim, Thomas.Martin, Micheál.Moloney, John.Moynihan, Donal.Moynihan, Michael.Mulcahy, Michael.Nolan, M.J.Ó Cuív, Éamon.Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.O'Connor, Charlie.O'Dea, Willie.O'Donnell, Liz.O'Donoghue, John.O'Keeffe, Batt.O'Keeffe, Ned.O'Malley, Fiona.O'Malley, Tim.Power, Peter.Roche, Dick.Ryan, Eoin.Sexton, Mae.Smith, Brendan.Smith, Michael.Treacy, Noel.Wallace, Dan.Wallace, Mary.Walsh, Joe.Wilkinson, Ollie.Woods, Michael.Wright, G.V. |
Níl
|
Allen, Bernard.Boyle, Dan.Breen, Pat.Broughan, Thomas P.Bruton, Richard.Burton, Joan.Connolly, Paudge.Costello, Joe.Coveney, Simon.Crawford, Seymour. |
Crowe, Seán.Cuffe, Ciarán.Deenihan, Jimmy.Durkan, Bernard J.English, Damien.Enright, Olwyn.Ferris, Martin.Gilmore, Eamon.Gogarty, Paul. Gormley, John. |
Níl–continued
|
Gregory, Tony.Harkin, Marian.Hayes, Tom.Higgins, Joe.Higgins, Michael D.Hogan, Phil.Kenny, Enda.Lynch, Kathleen.McCormack, Padraic.McGinley, Dinny.McGrath, Finian.McGrath, Paul.McHugh, Paddy.McManus, Liz.Mitchell, Gay.Morgan, Arthur.Moynihan-Cronin, Breeda.Murphy, Gerard. |
Noonan, Michael.Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.O'Keeffe, Jim.O'Shea, Brian.O'Sullivan, Jan.Pattison, Seamus.Penrose, Willie.Quinn, Ruairi.Rabbitte, Pat.Ring, Michael.Ryan, Eamon.Sargent, Trevor.Sherlock, Joe.Shortall, Róisín.Stagg, Emmet.Stanton, David.Upton, Mary.Wall, Jack. |
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Hanafin and Kelleher; Níl, Deputies Durkan and Stagg.
Question declared carried.