Item No. 1 is the Dún Laoghaire Bill, 1989: Second Stage. The Minister is delayed at a meeting. I understand he will be here in a few moments, so we will suspend the House for five minutes to give him an opportunity to be present and accommodate everybody.
Business of Seanad.
Sitting suspended at 3.30 p.m. and resumed at 3.45 p.m.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
Dún Laoghaire Harbour Bill, 1989: Second Stage.
May I ask if we are going to have a Minister?
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I will ask the Acting Leader of the House what is the position.
The Minister is on his way.
I do not think it is good enough. The Order of Business started at 2.30 p.m. This Item was listed as No. 1. We have had an extraordinarily long Order of Business which included tributes and various other matters. It is bad if the Department cannot organise their arrangements to have the Minister here. He is not here one hour and 20 minutes after the start of business for the day. It is probably indicative of the way that the Minister and the Department consider the question of Dún Laoghaire harbour.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
We have the Minister now. Is the Minister going to speak?
Limerick West): I have not been informed; I was just notified to come down here immediately. I do not know the arrangement.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
In view of what the Minister has said I suggest that we adjourn until 4.15 p.m. Is that agreed? Agreed.
I think it is a disgrace the way the Department are treating this Bill.
Sitting suspended at 3.50 p.m. and resumed at 4.15 p.m.
May we have some explanation from the Government Whip why the House is being treated in this totally discourteous and incompetent way, why there is no Minister here at the moment, why the Minister came unprepared, why the business of the House is in a total shambles?
We apologise for the delay which was caused largely because it was the intention of the Minister, Deputy Wilson, to take the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Bill but unfortunately he was held up in the Dáil answering questions. We had a difficulty and we apologise for the delay.
I cannot accept that. The simple fact of the matter is the Minister of State came unprepared without a script. Clearly he had not been informed. Last week when the Whips were to meet, they were kept waiting for two hours by the Government Whip while he spoke in the House at great length and did not have the courtesy to reconvene the meeting. The simple fact of the matter is that the business of this House is in a shambles at the present time. The Government Whip has shown himself totally incapable of ordering the business of the House. I formally call upon him to resign as Government Whip. The discourtesy with which we have been treated is simply unacceptable.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That is not a matter to be dealt with at this time.