Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Jul 2010

Vol. 715 No. 1

Allocation of Time: Motion

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy John Curran)

I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or the Order of the Dáil of the day: (1) the proceedings on No. a8, Compulsory Purchase Orders (Extension of Time Limits) Bill 2010 [Seanad] — Second and Remaining Stages, shall be taken on the conclusion of Private Members’ business tonight and the following arrangements shall apply: the proceedings on Second Stage shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 50 minutes, the opening speeches of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fine Gael and the Labour Party, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case and Members may share time, and the Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply that shall not exceed five minutes; and the proceedings on the Committee and Remaining Stages shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes tonight by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall in regard to amendments include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Transport and; (2) the proceedings on No. 3 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 11.15 p.m. tonight and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in regard to amendments to the Seanad amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Transport, and the Order shall resume thereafter.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Are the arrangements as outlined acceptable?

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

They are not agreed.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

A brief comment is allowable.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

This information, if it was available, should have been considered when the House was full during the Order of Business. The Chief Whip is proposing a guillotine. While I understand the urgency of the Bill, it should be taken tomorrow, Friday or next week if there is enough time. It does not have to be passed tonight; it must be passed by tomorrow when the order expires. There will be time tomorrow. I oppose the proposal.

Deputy Joe Costello

I still have not heard an explanation from the Chief Whip as to why this was not dealt with on the Order of Business. It was known about. What is the sense of urgency if there is time tomorrow? We have a very full day today and are not just rushing every item but guillotining Bills and pushing out the parameters of what we have already agreed. It seems reasonable and desirable to deal with the matter tomorrow rather than today.

Deputy David Stanton

This has happened before. It is a very dangerous way of doing business to introduce amendments such as this at the very last minute, especially a few hours after the Order of Business. We would be very slow to agree to this.

Deputy John Curran

There are two points to which to respond. This was not on the Order Paper this morning because we simply did not have the detail arranged in time. It was not much before 10 a.m. when we realised this legislation would have to be dealt with and that we would have to make the various arrangements necessary.

At the earliest opportunity possible, we tried to notify the Whips of the other parties that this matter was to be dealt with. Deputy Ó Snodaigh should note all Stages of this legislation must be passed in both Houses and signed by the President by midnight.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We cannot have further debate. I must put the question.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

On a point of order, the briefing note refers to an expiry date of tomorrow, which gives us 24 hours. Therefore, the legislation can be signed by the President at any stage up to 12 o'clock tomorrow evening.

Question put and declared carried.