Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Feb 2013

Vol. 794 No. 3

Order of Business

The Tánaiste

It is proposed to take No. 37, Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2013 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 38 - Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 6 - Further Education and Training Bill 2013 - Second Stage (resumed).

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. and shall adjourn not later than 3.30 p.m., there shall be no Order of Business within the meaning of Standing Order 26 and, accordingly, the business to be transacted shall be as follows: No. 7, Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2013 - Second Stage; and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 3.30 p.m. on that day and any division demanded shall be postponed until immediately after the Order of Business on Tuesday, 5 March 2013.

An Ceann Comhairle

There is one proposal to put to the House. Is the proposal for the sitting and business of the Dáil tomorrow agreed to?

Deputy Dara Calleary

It is not agreed.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Not agreed.

Deputy Dara Calleary

The proposal for tomorrow involves legislation on the property tax. In order to allow Government Deputies to go home for the weekend it is proposed that we vote on it next Tuesday. Either we have a proper Friday sitting or we do not.

Deputy Patrick O'Donovan

Will the Deputy take a special train from Connolly?

Deputy Dara Calleary

Let us cut out the messing. We will not have an Order of Business tomorrow, we will be having a debate on a Bill that will cost families a lot of money and we will then try to vote on it next Tuesday. We are either serious about Dáil reform or we are not. This charade of sitting tomorrow undermines any intent towards Dáil reform and the seriousness of this House.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

Prior to Christmas the Government rushed through the original legislation for this tax on the family home. It guillotined that debate because it was in a dreadful hurry to get it through the Dáil. We will have a repeat performance of that tomorrow. Although I fear the Tánaiste does not grasp the seriousness of the new tax that he is hell-bent on introducing or the hardship it will bring, at a minimum he should not be guillotining the debate on it. He should allow this Dáil full scope to contribute to the debate. He might hear something that demonstrates to him the error of his ways, although I will not hold my breath.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

It is bad enough that the Government plans to impose a tax on homes which will put an intolerable burden on hundreds of thousands of families already blighted with unemployment, mortgage distress and income cuts but it is nothing short of sabotage and manipulation of the democratic process that it will guillotine the most important Bill to come before the House this year. There is a clearly established pattern with this Government by which a Bill that is not controversial is allowed to run for days whereas a controversial one is rammed through with a guillotine. That is undermining the democratic basis of this House in an attempt to protect the Government from public scrutiny and anger. I ask the Tánaiste, if the promise of a democratic revolution means anything, to lift this guillotine and allow full scrutiny of this Bill.

The Tánaiste

Last week when this issue was raised the original proposal was that all Stages would be taken tomorrow. In light of the issues that have been raised and indications from Opposition Deputies that they wanted more time to debate the Bill, the Government agreed to take Second Stage tomorrow and the remaining Stages next week. That is reflected in this proposal. If the Opposition desires more time to set out their points of view on the Bill, I am prepared to offer it tomorrow. If Opposition Deputies are prepared to accept my offer, I propose to extend the debate until 5.30 p.m. tomorrow.

Deputy Barry Cowen

Will we vote tomorrow?

The Tánaiste

That would give us an additional two hours.

Deputy Joe Higgins

Does that include a vote?

The Tánaiste

Do the Deputies opposite want an additional two hours tomorrow?

Deputy Barry Cowen

And a vote.

Deputy Joe Higgins

Is the Tánaiste offering a vote at 5.30 p.m.?

The Tánaiste

The three Opposition spokespersons made a case for more time. Deputy McDonald suggested that the Government might want to hear certain contributions and new opinions. I am offering two additional hours tomorrow. Do the Deputies accept them?

Deputy Mattie McGrath

We want a vote as well.

The Tánaiste

They wanted extra time. I have put an offer before them of two extra hours.

Deputy Dara Calleary

And a vote.

An Ceann Comhairle

Can I take it that the order is being amended?

The Tánaiste

The Opposition parties want the extra time. If they want to amend the order to extend the debate to 5.30 p.m., I will accept that amendment.

Deputy Joe Higgins

We do not want a guillotine at 5.30 p.m.

Deputy Dara Calleary

Will Second Stage and the associated vote be concluded at 5.30 p.m.?

The Tánaiste

No, the vote will be taken on Tuesday.

An Ceann Comhairle

Do I take it that the proposal is not agreed to?

Deputy Dara Calleary

It is not agreed.

Deputy Barry Cowen

There is no vote.

The Tánaiste

Time after time Opposition Deputies come into the Chamber to argue for extra time but when the Government provides extra time in most cases they are not in a position to schedule speakers to use it up. Cut out the claptrap. They have been offered two additional hours. They called for more time.

Deputy Dara Calleary

We want to vote.

The Tánaiste

We already agreed to take Second Stage of the Bill tomorrow and Committee and Remaining Stages next week.

Deputy Dara Calleary

We will be here tomorrow but you will not.

The Tánaiste

They now want extra time for Second Stage. They can have extra time if they want. It is clear this has nothing to do with the content of the Bill or putting in extra speakers.

Deputy Barry Cowen

What is the Tánaiste opening tomorrow?

The Tánaiste

It is simply politics. I have offered an extra two hours if they want it.

Deputy Emmet Stagg

They chickened out. They do not want extra time.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

An all-day sitting for the media.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Remove the guillotine and we will stay until 9.30 p.m.

An Ceann Comhairle

As no amendment is being proposed I am obliged to put the original question. The question is, "That the proposal for the sitting and business of the Dáil tomorrow be agreed to".

Question put:

The Dáil divided: Tá, 82; Níl, 38.

Tá

• Bannon, James.
• Barry, Tom.
• Breen, Pat.
• Butler, Ray.
• Buttimer, Jerry.
• Byrne, Catherine.
• Byrne, Eric.
• Cannon, Ciarán.
• Coffey, Paudie.
• Collins, Áine.
• Conaghan, Michael.
• Connaughton, Paul J.
• Coonan, Noel.
• Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
• Costello, Joe.
• Coveney, Simon.
• Creed, Michael.
• Creighton, Lucinda.
• Deasy, John.
• Deenihan, Jimmy.
• Deering, Pat.
• Doherty, Regina.
• Dowds, Robert.
• Doyle, Andrew.
• Durkan, Bernard J.
• English, Damien.
• Farrell, Alan.
• Fitzgerald, Frances.
• Fitzpatrick, Peter.
• Flanagan, Charles.
• Flanagan, Terence.
• Harrington, Noel.
• Harris, Simon.
• Hayes, Brian.
• Hayes, Tom.
• Heydon, Martin.
• Hogan, Phil.
• Humphreys, Heather.
• Humphreys, Kevin.
• Keating, Derek.
• Keaveney, Colm.
• Kehoe, Paul.
• Kelly, Alan.
• Kenny, Seán.
• Kyne, Seán.
• Lawlor, Anthony.
• Lowry, Michael.
• Lynch, Ciarán.
• Lynch, Kathleen.
• McCarthy, Michael.
• McLoughlin, Tony.
• McNamara, Michael.
• Maloney, Eamonn.
• Mathews, Peter.
• Mitchell, Olivia.
• Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
• Mulherin, Michelle.
• Murphy, Dara.
• Murphy, Eoghan.
• Nash, Gerald.
• Naughten, Denis.
• Neville, Dan.
• Nolan, Derek.
• Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
• O'Donnell, Kieran.
• O'Donovan, Patrick.
• O'Mahony, John.
• O'Reilly, Joe.
• Penrose, Willie.
• Perry, John.
• Phelan, Ann.
• Phelan, John Paul.
• Quinn, Ruairí.
• Reilly, James.
• Ryan, Brendan.
• Sherlock, Sean.
• Stagg, Emmet.
• Stanton, David.
• Timmins, Billy.
• Tuffy, Joanna.
• Wall, Jack.
• Walsh, Brian.

Níl

• Adams, Gerry.
• Boyd Barrett, Richard.
• Broughan, Thomas P.
• Browne, John.
• Calleary, Dara.
• Collins, Joan.
• Colreavy, Michael.
• Cowen, Barry.
• Crowe, Seán.
• Daly, Clare.
• Doherty, Pearse.
• Dooley, Timmy.
• Ellis, Dessie.
• Ferris, Martin.
• Fleming, Tom.
• Grealish, Noel.
• Halligan, John.
• Healy, Seamus.
• Healy-Rae, Michael.
• Higgins, Joe.
• Kitt, Michael P.
• McDonald, Mary Lou.
• McGrath, Finian.
• McGrath, Mattie.
• McLellan, Sandra.
• Murphy, Catherine.
• Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
• Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
• Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
• O'Brien, Jonathan.
• O'Sullivan, Maureen.
• Pringle, Thomas.
• Ross, Shane.
• Shortall, Róisín.
• Stanley, Brian.
• Tóibín, Peadar.
• Troy, Robert.
• Wallace, Mick.

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Paul Kehoe and Emmet Stagg; Níl, Deputies Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Peadar Tóibín.

Question declared carried.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am afraid the time allotted for the Order of Business has expired. We must move on.

Deputy Joe Higgins

A Cheann Comhairle, that is completely out of order.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am sorry.

Deputy Joe Higgins

On a point of order-----

Deputy Ray Butler

It is the Deputy's own fault.

An Ceann Comhairle

What is the point of order?

Deputy Joe Higgins

The Government forced a vote and thereby used up the little time available to us for the Order of Business.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am sorry, but that is not a point of order.

Deputy Joe Higgins

The Tánaiste has scarpered and we have been denied an opportunity to ask about legislation.

An Ceann Comhairle

Standing Orders of the House provide for a period of 30 minutes for the Order of Business on a Tuesday and Wednesday and 20 minutes on a Thursday. If the time has been used, I cannot do anything about it.

Deputy Joe Higgins

There should be some injury time after a vote is called.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am in order and I am afraid the Deputy is out of order.