Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Nov 2015

Vol. 896 No. 2

Finance Bill 2015: Allocation of Time: Motion

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(1) The proceedings in the Select Sub-Committee on Finance on the Finance Bill 2015 shall be brought to a conclusion in accordance with the following timetable:

Date:	Proceedings:	To conclude not later than:
Tuesday, 17th November	Part 1 (sections 1 to 13)	9 p.m.
Wednesday, 18th November	Part 1 (sections 14 to 19)	1 p.m.
	Part 1 (sections 20 to 27)	5 p.m.
	Part 1 (sections 28 to 39)	10 p.m.
Thursday, 19th November	Parts 2 and 3 (sections 40 to 57)	11.30 a.m.
	Parts 4 and 5 (sections 58 to 64)	1 p.m.
	Part 6 (sections 65 to 86), the Schedule and the Title	5 p.m.

and where proceedings have not concluded by the stated time, they shall be brought to a conclusion 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 Finance or a Minister of State, nominated as substitute on his behalf, and the Question shall dispose of all amendments addressed to the Part of the Bill to which they refer.

(2) Where a division is claimed on the proceedings on the Finance Bill 2015, in the Select sub-Committee on Finance, other than on a Question put as provided for in accordance with paragraph (1), the taking of such division and the putting of any Question contingent thereon shall be postponed until-

(a) immediately before the time next appointed for the putting of a Question in accordance with paragraph (1), or

(b) in the event of such Question not being put, when proceedings in Committee on the matters which would have been decided by the putting of such Question have been otherwise completed.

(3) The Select sub-Committee shall, in accordance with Standing Order 87, send a message to the Dáil in relation to the completion of its consideration of the Finance Bill 2015, not later than 19th November, 2015.

Deputy Billy Kelleher

I will make one brief point. Motions providing for guillotines on Committee Stage are often used and I presume that is the purpose of this motion. The House has had little time to discuss the budget or Finance Bill. It is a tradition to apply guillotines on Committee Stage of the Finance Bill. However, the guillotine was used on the Second Stage debate of the Finance Bill and the debate on the budget was also very short.

It did not allow many Deputies to contribute to the debate. I note our disappointment on that.

Deputy Joan Burton

I must confess that because it was such a positive budget, there was a great deal to commend and discuss, particularly in the context of people returning to work, as to how to make things better for everybody in Ireland. I would love to see much more time allocated to that.

Deputy Billy Kelleher

The Government should have allocated the time.

Question put and agreed to.