It is proposed to take No. 8 (Vote No.3). Questions will be taken at 2.30. May I advert to the winding up of the proceedings this evening? Being an Estimate, we will want to agree to take any division before 10.15, if necessary. Also I should like to get in to reply at 9.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
Certainly.
No doubt the other two parties will be able to make a suitable arrangement.
I would ask for one hour for Fine Gael. I have already arranged this at the Whips' meeting.
I suggest that three-quarters of an hour each would be sufficient.
Yes, I think three-quarters of an hour would be all right.
In that case, whichever way it goes, the first winding up speech will begin at 8 p.m. and the second at 8.45 p.m.
Could I inquire if it is the intention to seek the permission of the House to print and circulate a report from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges?
That will occur in due course as is customary.
"In due course" could be today. It is not on the Order Paper. Does it have to be on the Order Paper? We assume the report will not be taken this session, this side of Christmas.
We will inquire into the matter to see if it can be raised after questions.
The Order of Business has been announced. I want to be sure this will not come up when we are not in the House. That is why we are here today.
(Interruptions.)
Give the Ceann Comhairle a chance.
The position is that the report will come before the House for an order for printing. It can be taken after questions.
But the Order of Business has been announced.
I understand that, strictly speaking, this should appear on the Order Paper and it is not on the Order Paper.
Then it cannot come up today.
If Deputies want it, we will see.
We do not want to facilitate the passage of this motion at all.
This is the last sitting day before Christmas and this is something which is either on or off. It is not in the Order of Business and, therefore, the matter should not arise until after Christmas. There is no point in having acrimony.
It is you who raised it, not we.
Yes. We did not want you to sneak it in behind our backs, which would be typical of what you would do.
As far as I am concerned, I have not the slightest interest in it.
I am not talking about the Taoiseach but about his left wing.
Nobody seems to know about it only yourselves.
As you know, I am a member of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and, in view of the way the decision which has been arrived at was arrived at, I am most anxious that there would be at least justice done in the presentation of this request. The Chair cannot even tell us when the Order of Business is coming up or what is involved in the Order of Business or when the report is likely to be circulated.
He told us it can come up.
We want to know and we are entitled to know.
We thought you wanted it.
We have no objection to it coming up today if the Taoiseach on the Order of Business would indicate that it is coming up and at what time it is coming up.
If the House feels that it should be left over until after Christmas——
It could not be printed, anyway.
The House does not necessarily feel that it should be left over.
I have no knowledge of what happened in the committee yesterday except hearsay and I have no notice of the fact that this was being raised this morning.
Ask your Parliamentary Secretary. He is not here.
In any event, it would not be practicable to have the report published by today. What happens after this, I do not know and, to be quite frank, I do not care.
Then it will not come up today, Sir?