Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 2008

Vol. 662 No. 1

Business of Dáil: Motion.

I move:

That the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. and that the sitting be now suspended until 9 p.m.

The copy of the Bill which is to be placed before the House just arrived in my office in the past couple of minutes and we are in the process of having it delivered to the Opposition spokesmen, Whips and so on. I apologise for this but it is outside of my control.

I will not be obstructionist, but this Bill proposes to deal with approximately €400 billion of an underwrite. This morning at 7 a.m. there was a Government statement and then the Government Whip said he hoped to have the opportunity to have a debate with the Opposition at some time in the afternoon. That debate was to be at 5 p.m. There was a Whips' meeting and during the course of that meeting on three successive occasions the situation changed. Then a Bill was to be produced for 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., and now it is 7.30 p.m. This is no way to treat the Opposition parties or indeed members of the Government party, with a Bill as serious as this one.

I wish to put the Tánaiste on notice that, although I do not know the details of what is proposed yet, I accept the Bill is open-ended in terms of debate. We will want some time to consider the Bill between Second Stage and Committee Stage for the purpose of drafting amendments, if that is necessary. I hope that, in accordance with the Taoiseach's words today, this Bill will contain the details of a new regulatory regime for the new and complex situation that exists for the Irish taxpayer. I accept the proposal of the Government Whip, but the manner in which the Government has gone about producing this Bill has been absolutely chaotic and smacks of complete leaderless leadership.

This Bill has probably been drafted by the public officials. There does not seem to be any regard for the political elected representatives of the people, whereas I am quite sure the committees of the banks have been in discussion with the Government for the past while. The Government has known what is in this Bill, or what is proposed to be in this Bill, for the past 12 hours, yet it expects members of the Opposition to deal with it adequately in a 12 minute period. That is not good and it is not the way to do business. This is very important legislation and the way the Government has gone about its business today has been absolutely chaotic.

I accept the Government Whip's office is not to blame in this matter. The Government Whip has been in communication with the Opposition Whips all day. However, I have been in the House a long time and I have been a Whip for a long time, but I have never witnessed the sort of chaos we saw today. This is a most serious issue. We have often warned of the dangers of rushed legislation——

A Deputy

They still think it is funny.

In 1994 the Deputy was looking for heads.

——and it seems we will get a Bill after four missed deadlines.

The Minister, Deputy Ahern, should be a little humble, for once.

A Deputy

This is serious business.

Deputy Stagg, without interruption.

After four missed deadlines today we will get a cobbled together piece of legislation when we know, from what we were told during the day, that the original intention was to have four or five pieces of legislation. There are serious dangers in this for Ireland Incorporated and its citizens. It is with deep regret that I am witnessing that in this House. The way this has been handled signals a bad day for democracy. I do not blame the Whip's office for that. I blame the Chief Whip's ministerial seniors who are entirely responsible for it.

With the clock continuing to tick the opportunity to address this Bill and its content with the care that is required is slipping away. I need clarification that it is not intended to guillotine this Bill tonight, that we will have a continuing opportunity tomorrow to address the detail of this Bill and that all the required time for full questioning, analysis of the Bill and amendments to be presented, if same are required, will be allowed in the processing of this legislation, particularly Committee Stage. It is critically important that is not curtailed in any way. I want those assurances. The House deserves those assurances. Every elected Member of every opinion represented on the floor of this Chamber has waited with patience, hour after hour here this evening, and still we do not have sight of the Government's proposed legislation. It is very important that we recognise, as I said earlier this evening, that this is likely to be one of the most important, if not the most important, pieces of legislation to present before this Dáil in its history and it is a requirement on each of us that we employ the maximum care in its passage as its out-working and the effect it may have in the future cannot be told at this point in time.

We are messengers of the people, as Dáil Deputies, and it is important that it is understood that many people are watching the affairs here this evening with incredulity, some of whom have been victims of the worst excesses by the very banking institutions we are here to address. It is very important that we adopt maximum care and that there is a clear understanding by everyone of the real purpose and intent of this particular legislation and that that is carefully explained. We have seen time and again the worst excesses of the banking institutions——

We cannot go into that now.

I will conclude on this point, a Cheann Comhairle. It is abundantly clear to me that we must take the time to explain what is involved, its import, intent and the effect it will have. It is important that our citizens, particularly those who have suffered at the hands of banking institutions over the years, which have shown scant regard for many people and interests,——

We cannot debate that now.

——understand what this Bill is all about. I want an assurance that we will get the time to address the Bill in the way that is required.

I thank Opposition Members for their patience on this matter. It was discussed through the night and the Cabinet discussed it for a considerable period of time during our deliberations in the morning and early afternoon. Further redrafting had to take place to ensure the Bill that comes before the House is the best Bill. It is appropriate that we afford people who want to participate in the debate the time to reflect on the legislation between now and 9 p.m. Equally, it is important to advise the House that it would be our hope that we could complete this legislation but it will be a matter for the House to determine the time necessary for that discussion. I am led to believe the Whips will meet now and I am sure they can come to some agreement on the length of time they would expect the debate to continue.

A Cheann Comhairle——

No, there can only be one intervention. I take it the motion is agreed. Agreed.

Question put and agreed to.

Tá an Dáil ar fionraí go dtí a naoi a chlog.

Sitting suspended at 7.40 p.m. and resumed at 9 p.m.
Top
Share