It is proposed to take No. 16, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012 - Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages; and No. 17, statements on the Government's proposals for water services delivery reforms. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Oral Questions, Topical Issues shall be considered on the adjournment of No. 17 or at 3.42 p.m., whichever is the later, and Oral Questions shall take place on the conclusion of Topical Issues; the proceedings on Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages of No. 16 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 3.42 p.m. today by one question 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 Social Protection; the proceedings on No. 17 shall, if not previously concluded, adjourn after two hours and the following arrangements shall apply: the statement of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokesperson for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case, the statements of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes, Members may share time and a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes.
Order of Business
There are three proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. tonight agreed to?
No. Proposal No. 1 deals with the Dáil sitting later than 5.45 p.m. as Oral Questions and the Topical Issue debate are to commence after 3.42 p.m., which is the time that the Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill are to conclude. I object to that time of 3.42 p.m. in proposal No. 1 in regard to the guillotine on the Social Welfare Bill. Yesterday morning we were presented with 23 pages of amendments.
I apologise for interrupting the Deputy.
I will clarify it for you, a Cheann Comhairle.
That is all right because I was wondering whether I had read it out correctly.
No, the Tánaiste read it out.
We are sitting later than 5.45 p.m.
I will read out the motion before us that the Tánaiste read out.
No, the motion that is before the House at the moment is that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. today.
And shall adjourn at the conclusion-----
Deputy-----
May I read motion No. 1 from the sheet?
No. The motion is that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. It does not mention the Adjournment.
The Tánaiste read out a different motion from what you-----
No. I am reading out the motion I am putting to the House.
What is this motion here that states: "the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. tonight-----
That is not a motion.
-----and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Oral Questions; Topical Issues shall be considered on the adjournment of No. 17 or at 3.42 p.m. whichever is the later, and Oral Questions shall take place on the conclusion of Topical Issues"? That is motion No. 1. Is that motion No. 1 or not?
No. The proposal before the House is that-----
That is not what the Ceann Comhairle read out.
The proposal is that we sit later than 5.45 p.m. What happens after 5.45 p.m. is a different issue. We need to agree to sit after 5.45 p.m. first. That is the proposal in case there is any misunderstanding among Deputies.
The Deputy is caught like a rabbit in the headlights.
I ask for clarification. The Ceann Comhairle might assist me, as it is my first time here in this role.
The Deputy should be talking about motion No. 2.
The Tánaiste read out motion No. 1, which contained that sentence. Is that not the motion?
No. My job in the Chair is to get agreement that we sit later than the normal time on a Thursday, which is 5.45 p.m. The proposal is that in order to complete the business today we need to sit beyond 5.45 p.m.
It will be 5.45 p.m. soon if we keep going.
Put him before Micheál for lessons.
What happens in between is not an issue for this proposal.
All I am asking for is clarification. Is the motion for the late sitting that the Tánaiste read out before us or is a different motion before us?
When I get to the second proposal I will then put a question about the proposal-----
When Deputy Sean Fleming is removed, who will take over next?
There are a lot of former Labour Party leaders.
Deputy-----
I am looking at the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, the Minister, Deputy Quinn, and the Tánaiste.
Deputy, would you mind-----
It will have to go to one of the young lads.
It has three leaders on its front bench.
There are three proposals to be put to the House. If the Deputy waits he will get an opportunity to raise the issue about the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill when the next proposal is put. However, we must first agree - if we wish to - that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
The Deputy should not mind anything else.
So what the Tánaiste read out is not the motion before us.
No. What we do next is to set out how we will deal with the Committee and Remaining Stages of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill.
That is motion No. 2. What is motion No. 1?
Sorry, do not mind-----
Read the full text, please.
The Deputy should not mind what the Tánaiste has said in this regard.
Thank you. I do not mind what he said and I will say the same to what he said-----
Do not be so smart, please.
You said I should not mind what the Tánaiste said.
Would you resume your seat and do not be silly?
I am echoing your words.
You are making a fool of yourself.
I am opposing the Dáil sitting later than 5.45 p.m. tonight on the basis-----
Does anybody else disagree with that?
-----that there is a guillotine-----
I thank the Deputy very much. I have listened to him.
-----between now and then and I am opposing that.
I ask the Tánaiste to answer the question as to why we should sit later than 5.45 p.m.
Deputy Sean Fleming has a funeral.
We have a lot of business to do here. There is the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill and there will be statements on the Government's proposals for reform of water services delivery, which have been sought by the Opposition in addition to the normal Oral Questions and Topical Issues that need to be dealt with. I regret to inform Deputy Sean Fleming that it will be necessary to sit later than 5.45 p.m.
Tá
- Bannon, James.
- Barry, Tom.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Breen, Pat.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burton, Joan.
- Butler, Ray.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Byrne, Eric.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Coffey, Paudie.
- Collins, Áine.
- Collins, Joan.
- Colreavy, Michael.
- Conaghan, Michael.
- Conlan, Seán.
- Connaughton, Paul J.
- Conway, Ciara.
- Coonan, Noel.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Costello, Joe.
- Creed, Michael.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Daly, Clare.
- Deering, Pat.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Dowds, Robert.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frank.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flanagan, Charles.
- Flanagan, Luke ‘Ming’.
- Flanagan, Terence.
- Fleming, Tom.
- Gilmore, Eamon.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Halligan, John.
- Hannigan, Dominic.
- Harrington, Noel.
- Hayes, Brian.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Hogan, Phil.
- Humphreys, Kevin.
- Keating, Derek.
- Keaveney, Colm.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Kenny, Seán.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lynch, Ciarán.
- Lyons, John.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McCarthy, Michael.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McFadden, Nicky.
- McGrath, Finian.
- McHugh, Joe.
- McLellan, Sandra.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- Mathews, Peter.
- Mulherin, Michelle.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Murphy, Dara.
- Nash, Gerald.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Neville, Dan.
- Nolan, Derek.
- Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- O’Brien, Jonathan.
- O’Donnell, Kieran.
- O’Dowd, Fergus.
- O’Mahony, John.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Phelan, Ann.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Rabbitte, Pat.
- Ross, Shane.
- Spring, Arthur.
- Stagg, Emmet.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Stanton, David.
- Timmins, Billy.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Tuffy, Joanna.
- Wall, Jack.
- Wallace, Mick.
- Walsh, Brian.
Níl
- Browne, John.
- Collins, Niall.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Kelleher, Billy.
- Kitt, Michael P.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- Martin, Micheál.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
- O’Dea, Willie.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Troy, Robert.
Is the proposal for dealing with No. 16, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012 - Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages, agreed to?
It is not agreed. The time allocated to the debate on this Bill has been completely inadequate. The Bill proposes the introduction of far-reaching changes, particularly for lone parents. It is shameful and disappointing that the Government is opting to guillotine this debate. We need more time to discuss it. I am not under any illusion that the Government will be changed from this course of action.
Thank you.
It can answer for that but we certainly need more time and on those grounds we object to the proposal.
I also oppose the guillotine.
The Ladybird book.
Give him a chance. Even Homer nods.
Please proceed.
Who was Homer, James? You would need to check that.
We have the unusual situation of dealing with Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages but with no separate Report Stage and therefore no opportunity to put Report Stage amendments. We would have been happy to finish Committee Stage tonight if we had a separate Report Stage next week but we cannot agree to this.
I call Deputy Boyd Barrett, on behalf of People before Profit.
I thank the Ceann Comhairle.
I am not being smart when I say that. I have to say it because only party leaders are entitled to speak on this.
The point has been made in recent days but again, on this last day, before the guillotine falls, it is absolutely wrong for the Government to impose this guillotine on such important legislation. Yesterday, we spent the best part of three hours debating one section of the Bill that deals with, in our opinion, the disgraceful cuts to lone parents.
Thank you.
We needed that much time to discuss that section alone and probably could have done with more. We still have an entire rake of sections to discuss that deal with important matters, such as the change in mortgage interest supplement that could cause real problems for mortgage holders in distress and the changes to jobseeker's benefit which will see part-time workers losing €20 or €30 a week. These are very serious issues affecting groups in our society who are under serious pressure and no guillotine should be imposed by this Government. We object very strongly to it.
The Tánaiste had to leave the Chamber because he is attending at the announcement of another 100 jobs in Dún Laoghaire-----
Deputies
Hear, hear.
-----an important investment in this country. I give his apologies for having to leave.
Unfortunately, I cannot be there.
I am sorry the Ceann Comhairle could not go.
Who created the jobs? What is the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, doing here?
The Minister, Deputy Bruton, is the man for the jobs.
There are very important provisions in the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill which many supporters of the Deputies opposite have asked for-----
Lone parents will not be getting those jobs.
-----namely, to ensure that our social welfare officers have the power at the airports to interview people who come back and forward on flights and may be claiming social welfare.
People like Denis O'Brien.
The Minister is going after Denis O'Brien.
Keep it up. It may be a matter of no importance to the Opposition-----
The Minister is making a case for extra time.
-----but we want a good social welfare system. Deputy Boyd Barrett did not have time to mention it but in this Bill we are also seeking the power for social welfare inspectors to interview landlords about recipients of rent supplement.
Thank you.
If the Deputy objects, as it appears he does, I am bringing in measures-----
I am sorry, Minister, we cannot discuss the Bill now.
-----in regard to fraud.
We are dealing with the issue of time.
That is his problem. Our job is to get is to the economy back and have a secure social welfare system in which people are confident and to which they are happy to contribute.
This will drive more people into poverty.
It is a turn-around.
That is all the Minister wants to do.
For goodness sake. I ask the Deputies to listen to themselves for a minute. It is chaos. People are shouting and roaring.
Yes.
I would like to have been in Dún Laoghaire for the opening but unfortunately I have to stay here.
Tá
- Bannon, James.
- Barry, Tom.
- Breen, Pat.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burton, Joan.
- Butler, Ray.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Byrne, Eric.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Coffey, Paudie.
- Collins, Áine.
- Conaghan, Michael.
- Conlan, Seán.
- Connaughton, Paul J.
- Conway, Ciara.
- Coonan, Noel.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Costello, Joe.
- Creed, Michael.
- Deering, Pat.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Dowds, Robert.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frank.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flanagan, Terence.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Hannigan, Dominic.
- Harrington, Noel.
- Hayes, Brian.
- Hogan, Phil.
- Humphreys, Kevin.
- Keating, Derek.
- Keaveney, Colm.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Kenny, Seán.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lynch, Ciarán.
- Lyons, John.
- McCarthy, Michael.
- McFadden, Nicky.
- McHugh, Joe.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- Mathews, Peter.
- Mulherin, Michelle.
- Murphy, Dara.
- Nash, Gerald.
- Neville, Dan.
- Nolan, Derek.
- Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
- O’Donnell, Kieran.
- O’Dowd, Fergus.
- O’Mahony, John.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Phelan, Ann.
- Rabbitte, Pat.
- Spring, Arthur.
- Stagg, Emmet.
- Stanton, David.
- Timmins, Billy.
- Tuffy, Joanna.
- Wall, Jack.
- Walsh, Brian.
Níl
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Browne, John.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Niall.
- Colreavy, Michael.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Daly, Clare.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Flanagan, Luke ‘Ming’.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Fleming, Tom.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Halligan, John.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Kelleher, Billy.
- Kirk, Seamus.
- Kitt, Michael P.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGrath, Finian.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McLellan, Sandra.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- O’Brien, Jonathan.
- O’Dea, Willie.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Ross, Shane.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Troy, Robert.
- Wallace, Mick.
Is the proposal for dealing with No. 17, statements on the Government's proposals for water services delivery reforms, agreed to? Agreed.