It is proposed to take Nos. 2 and 3. Private Members' Business will be taken from 6 to 7.30 p.m., when No. 36 will be resumed.
Order of Business.
May I ask the Taoiseach if he will make time available for a discussion, which I have no doubt will be a prudent one, on the initiatives and the statement made by Mr. Heath since this House last met? In view of the Budget coming quite soon, the opportune time for such a discussion is obviously before the Budget rather than around Budget time or after the Budget has been dealt with. This, I believe, is necessary because some confusion has been created as to the impact of these initiatives and, indeed, hopes have been raised by them for which anybody looking prudently at the situation could not find any justification. These hopes are dangerous in themselves——
We cannot discuss the matter now.
I would ask the Taoiseach to give us some indication on that.
I shall keep the matter under consideration.
A Cheann Comhairle——
We cannot discuss this matter all evening.
It is not a question of discussion but of this House being ignored although it is concerned in this vitally important matter. What people say individually outside does not carry the same weight as a discussion in this House. In fairness to the House and the people we represent there should be an opportunity to hear the views of all Deputies, so that we would have a collective view on the matter and not different views as we may have at the moment.
Not only an opportunity but an early one.
Exactly.