It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 23 (Vote 26), 21, 22, 5, 6, 7, 8 and No. 24. It is proposed to take Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8 and 24 at 4 p.m. and when completed to resume the order. Questions will be taken at 3 p.m.
Order of Business.
I think it was agreed that at 11.30 a.m. we would being the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill. Unfortunately, we had to ask for this last night because our spokesman would not be ready until 11.30 a.m. We asked that Local Government be put in this morning for one hour to be followed by the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill. If we continued with Local Government all day we could not finish what is on the Order Paper for today.
The difficulty in taking the Finance Bill at 4 o'clock is that the Public Accounts committee are meeting today to complete their present business and conclude their work and they are scheduled to meet if necessary until 7.30 p.m. Hopefully, it will not take that long but there could be a problem about that. Perhaps this could be settled through the Whips in due course.
This Public Accounts Committee are going on a long time.
That is our feeling. We want to get finished.
Their last meeting is today, I gather.
That is the intention.
They will have to try to adjust to the timetable of the Dáil.
I am merely communicating the decision of the committee.
I understand it is suggested that we take the Finance Bill at 4 o'clock but the Northern Committee are sitting at 4.30 pm. until 6 p.m. This is the committee dealing with Northern affairs and the Constitution.
The Whips met last night and worked out a timetable. I suppose they were not conscious of every meeting of every committee. But I suggest to those who are on those committees that they should try to adjust to the Dáil timetable because I understand from the Whips that it was not very easy to agree to that timetable.
The position is that I notified the particular problem of my side. The other committee meets regularly at 4 p.m. and is known to do so. It would be unfortunate if the Dáil tried to take the Finance Bill, Committee Stage, in the absence of the two Opposition spokesmen on Finance. I think some adjustment should be made. The Finance Bill is rather technical but I do not think it will be a very prolonged business. I suggest the Whips should consult further on this point.
Surely the business of the Chamber should get priority. I am suggesting that the committees might adjust their timetables to suit the business of the Dáil.
Is it to be suggested that the all-party committee on the Constitution, whatever about my committee, are less important than the Committee Stage of the Finance Bill?
It is now considered an offence to be a member of a committee.
I think I made it quite clear that the work of the Whips was not easy last night.
We worked very hard to arrive at a very sensible solution of the various problems.
If we are not going to get it changed and if the Government want to proceed with the Finance Bill they can do so. I am sure Deputy O'Donovan will sit in for me. I know Deputy FitzGerald is in a different position.
The Whips will have another meeting.