Business, as set out on the Order Paper, will be taken in the following order: No. 10 (Votes 36 to 52 inclusive), Nos. 3, 1 and 11. Questions will be taken at the conclusion of No. 11, but not later than 4 p.m.
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business, may I ask the permission of the Chair to explain something which was referred to last night by the Minister for Local Government? He accused the Whips of Fine Gael and of the Labour Party of conspiring to prevent him from getting time to answer the debate on the Second Reading of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 1968. I want to make it quite clear, as far as I am concerned, that the agreement was made in good faith by the Whips. It was necessary for us to inquire from the Taoiseach if there would be any objection to the amount of time allotted to the Minister for Local Government. He said he would put the matter to a Government meeting and inform us on Friday afternoon and we had to come back here that afternoon about that matter. There was no conspiracy. I deplore the conduct of a Minister of State who seeks to disrupt Public Business——
It was the purpose.
The agreement was carried out, in effect.
Yes. Not with the co-operation of the Minister for Local Government, however.
Deputy Tully's apology is accepted.
Boland out.
This is an example now of the sort of thing I speak about. If the Taoiseach takes that from the Minister for Local Government, I shall not take it from him. I shall not take it from him or from anybody else.
Deputies
Craig.
The Minister may act the thug at a Government meeting but he will not act the thug as far as I am concerned. He is reverting to type, now.
Do not be crusty.