It is proposed to take No. 7, European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. today and shall adjourn on the conclusion of oral questions; Second Stage of No. 7 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 6.30 p.m. today and the order shall resume thereafter with Topical Issues; in regard to the Advance Healthcare Decisions Bill 2012, the Second Stage of which shall be considered tomorrow, the following arrangements shall apply: the opening speech of Deputy Liam Twomey and of the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Technical Group and of a Minister or Minister of State, who shall be called upon in that order, and who may share their time, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; the speech of each other member called upon shall not exceed 15 minutes and such Members may share time; a Minister or Minister of State, who may speak twice, shall be called upon not later than 1 p.m. to make a speech which shall not exceed 15 minutes; Deputy Liam Twomey shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 15 minutes; the sitting shall be suspended after Private Members' business today for 30 minutes; Private Members' business shall be No. 64 – motion re building control (resumed), shall take place on the conclusion of the Order of Business and shall if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes in accordance with the order of the Dáil of yesterday.
Order of Business
There are four proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall later than 5.45 p.m. today agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 7, Second Stage of the European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012 agreed to?
We object to the guillotining of this debate. It is a matter of the utmost importance that we get right a permanent bailout mechanism for the European Union. Given its importance and centrality, it is astonishing that the Government is attempting to guillotine the debate on the Bill. We object on these grounds.
It is reckless in the extreme that the Government is proposing, in a single day and with barely 4.5 hours allowed for debate, to ram through Dáil Éireann the European Stability Mechanism Bill, a Bill that exposes taxpayers to a potential liability of €11 billion and taxpayers throughout the European Union to a potential liability of €700 billion. This is not to serve as a solidarity fund for the peoples of Europe; rather, as we have seen this morning in the Spanish case, it is to bail out the same reckless speculators whose gambling debts are already crushing the people, the economy and living standards.
It is particularly ironic that the Tánaiste is proposing the use of a guillotine on this issue today. It would be an understatement to say he would have been apoplectic if the arrangements being made today were made to debate a proposal of this import by the former Government when he was in opposition. He would have raged as only he could have when in opposition. I have no doubt that many Deputies, from all parties in the Dáil, would want time to consider and speak to the Bill. Given that the Spanish banks are being awarded a bailout, we should wait until at least after the weekend such that our knowledge of what happens in Spain will inform the debate. Continuing the debate next week is essential. Therefore, I ask the Tánaiste to remove the guillotine and allow the debate to continue into next week, at least.
It beggars belief that the Tánaiste is trying to push through the legislation on the ESM in a single day. He cannot say with hand on his heart that he believes the people, or most Deputies, have fully debated and understand the content of the European Stability Mechanism Bill and the severe consequences it may have for them, given that, even by the Government's admission in the past week or two, it is highly likely that on exiting the EU-IMF programme we will be forced into an ESM programme that will be equally as austere and have equally as strict conditions. It will affect in a serious way the citizens of Ireland and could cost them €11 billion or more. The body will not be subject to scrutiny, be it legal, public, political or otherwise. It is difficult to imagine legislation that is more important than this Bill, given that it could dictate the fate of citizens for quite a few years to come. Despite this, the Tánaiste is proposing to ram it through in a single day which is absolutely unacceptable. I appeal to him, in the interests of democracy and ensuring the public has full knowledge of the fate that awaits it if we are forced into the ESM, to lift the guillotine and allow a full airing of all the issues surrounding the mechanism.
The European Stability Mechanism Bill is not being put through the House in one day. The European Stability Mechanism is due to take effect from 1 July. This means the Bill must be enacted by that date. For it to be enacted by that date, it must be debated in this House on Second Stage. On Committee Stage the Deputy will have ample opportunity to examine the legislation in detail and propose amendments, if he wishes. The Bill will be returned to the Chamber for Report Stage, on which the Deputy may again propose amendments. Following this, the Bill will proceed to the Seanad where the same process will take place. If the Seanad makes amendments, the Bill will be returned to this House. Therefore, there will be plenty of debate on the European Stability Mechanism.
If the Deputies had read the Order Paper and noted the Order of Business for today, they would have noted it was intended-----
To guillotine the debate on Second Stage.
That is different from saying the Bill will be put through the House in one day; it is not.
The debate is being guillotined.
We are providing for the debate on Second Stage to end today in order that Deputies will have the opportunity to prepare amendments for Committee Stage, on which they may make the case for whatever changes they wish to make to the legislation. If necessary, they may do so again on Report Stage. Today's debate on Second Stage is on the general principles of the Bill. It is proposed that, following the conclusion of Private Members' business, the rest of the day will be devoted to the legislation, up to 6.30 p.m. We have moved Question Time, including priority questions, beyond 6.30 p.m. in order that there will be a clear run at the legislation and a full debate on Second Stage. Deputies will have plenty of time to debate the matter up to 29 June, the last working day before the ESM is due to take effect. There will be full Committee Stage and Report Stage debates. We are only taking Second Stage today in order that Deputies will have time and the opportunity to table amendments, attend the committee and make their case for whatever changes they desire. We will see what they do on Committee Stage.
Tá
- Bannon, James.
- Barry, Tom.
- Breen, Pat.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burton, Joan.
- Butler, Ray.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Coffey, Paudie.
- Conaghan, Michael.
- Conlan, Seán.
- Connaughton, Paul J.
- Coonan, Noel.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Daly, Jim.
- Deasy, John.
- Deenihan, Jimmy.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Donohoe, Paschal.
- Dowds, Robert.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Feighan, Frank.
- Ferris, Anne.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Flanagan, Charles.
- Flanagan, Terence.
- Gilmore, Eamon.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Harrington, Noel.
- Harris, Simon.
- Hayes, Tom.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Humphreys, Kevin.
- Keating, Derek.
- Keaveney, Colm.
- Kehoe, Paul.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lawlor, Anthony.
- Lynch, Ciarán.
- Maloney, Eamonn.
- Mathews, Peter.
- McCarthy, Michael.
- McEntee, Shane.
- McFadden, Nicky.
- McHugh, Joe.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- McNamara, Michael.
- Mitchell, Olivia.
- Mitchell O’Connor, Mary.
- Mulherin, Michelle.
- Murphy, Dara.
- Murphy, Eoghan.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Neville, Dan.
- Nolan, Derek.
- O’Donovan, Patrick.
- O’Mahony, John.
- O’Reilly, Joe.
- O’Sullivan, Jan.
- Perry, John.
- Phelan, Ann.
- Rabbitte, Pat.
- Ryan, Brendan.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Spring, Arthur.
- Stagg, Emmet.
- Stanton, David.
- Timmins, Billy.
- Tuffy, Joanna.
- Twomey, Liam.
- Wall, Jack.
- Walsh, Brian.
- White, Alex.
Níl
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Browne, John.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Niall.
- Colreavy, Michael.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Daly, Clare.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Fleming, Tom.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Higgins, Joe.
- Kitt, Michael P.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGrath, Finian.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- McLellan, Sandra.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
- Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- O’Brien, Jonathan.
- O’Dea, Willie.
- O’Sullivan, Maureen.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Ross, Shane.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Troy, Robert.
- Wallace, Mick.
Is the proposal for dealing with the sitting and the business of the Dáil tomorrow agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with the suspension of the sitting today agreed to? Agreed.