The Order of Business today shall be No. 21a, motion re Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Powers and Functions) Bill 2003; No. 5, Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill 2003 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; No. 27, statements on European Council meeting in Brussels, to be taken not later than 2.10 p.m. and the order shall not resume thereafter.
It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) No. 21a shall be decided without debate; (2) the proceedings on No. 27 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 80 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the statements shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes, and the statements of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and of 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 15 minutes in each case; (ii) Members may share time; (iii) immediately following the statements, the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall take questions for a period not exceeding 20 minutes; (3) the Dáil on its rising today shall adjourn until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 4 November 2003.