Seanad Éireann debate -
Friday, 16 Dec 1988

Vol. 121 No. 14

Appropriation Bill, 1988 [ Certified Money Bill ]: Allocation of Time.

Mr. Lanigan

I move:

That notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, and on the understanding that adequate time will be given in January 1989 to discuss item c1 on today's Order Paper, the following arrangements shall apply in the debate on the Appropriation Bill, 1988:

(i) on Second Stage, the debate shall be confined to one Senator from each of the four groupings in the House, the speech in each case not to exceed 30 minutes,

(ii) on Committee, Report and Fifth Stages there shall be no debate except by special permission of the Chair to allow a question of a specific nature.

Mr. Manning

I note that the Motion states that time will be given in January to discuss the item further. Could the Leader of the House give us some assurance that the House will resume at a reasonably early date in January?

Mr. Lanigan

Yes. I can guarantee that we will resume debate on this item in early January. There have been a number of questions asked about a debate on the Middle East. I want to assure the House that a debate will take place at an early stage on that. I will be discussing it with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In relation to that, it is very welcome that the United States Government have decided to go into negotiation with the PLO, the representatives of the Palestinians. That is a very welcome gesture on their part and I would like to congratulate them on that gesture. I guarantee to the House that we will have an early debate on that.

Question put and agreed to.