It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 13, 14, 15 and 5. Questions will be at 3 p.m. It is proposed, by agreement, that Nos. 15 and 5 be taken after questions and that the order resume after that.
Order of Business.
I should like to ask the reasons for the refusal by the Government to allow time, which was agreed at three hours on this morning, to debate the Dublin bus dispute. The request was made by Deputy Dowling last week and, in deference to the suggestion of the Taoiseach, it was not pressed because at that time consultations were going on at the Labour Court. I suggest that now that the bus strike is over it is no excuse not to have a debate. On the contrary, to have a debate now would be about the best thing that could happen and no time would be more opportune to have such a debate.
The Leader of the Opposition is aware that the request was to discuss the bus dispute which has now ended and the situation is very different. If Deputies wish to discuss any matters connected with it, I suggest that the appropriate time would be on the discussion of the Estimate for the Department of Labour.
The fact that the bus dispute has now ended is not a valid reason. The bus dispute happened and it was the longest bus dispute in the history of this country. There were many reasons why this might have been avoided and these reasons could have been debated here. There are many reasons that could be put forward to avoid a recurrence of such a long and, let me suggest, hardly necessary dispute. I suggest that the immediate aftermath of that dispute is the most appropriate time.
However, I have made my protest. It is unusual for a Government to refuse an official request by the Opposition Party to debate a matter of public importance of this nature. I accept the Government's attitude and these attitudes can be taken up again when conditions change.
On a previous occasion, in the middle of June, we made a request for such a debate and this was turned down by the Taoiseach because the bus dispute was in progress. On this occasion the Taoiseach has turned down our request because the bus dispute has terminated.
The Deputy asked for a discussion on the bus dispute when it was still in existence but it is now over. Negotiations were going on at the time Deputy Dowling made his request.
The House could not have the discussion then because negotiations were going on but now the Taoiseach has a free hand to have such a debate.
This is a separate request and in completely different circumstances.
Protect the ITGWU and the Minister, Deputy O'Leary.
May I have an answer to our request delivered to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach, as Chief Whip, for an Adjournment debate at the end of this session? It is a usual request, and I understand that request met with some opposition yesterday from the Parliamentary Secretary.
The matter can be considered but as the Leader of the Opposition is aware the Opposition have requested a longer interval between the Second Stage and the Committee Stage of the Finance Bill. This is a fairly wide debate in close proximity to the end of the session and, in the circumstances, if one debate is protracted it is not unreasonable to suggest that that would cover both aspects of the matters which the Opposition wish to raise.
On the contrary, the debate on the Finance Bill is on the contents of the Finance Bill and on the taxation which it seeks to impose. A wider discussion, which is normal on an Adjournment debate, would almost certainly be ruled out of order by the Ceann Comhairle, and rightly so. I suggest that this is an attempt to deny us the usual facility for an Adjournment debate. It is another attempt by this Government to avoid criticism, genuine and necessary criticism, from the Opposition.
Government by consultation.
Deputy Dowling spent more than two hours talking last night but he scarcely mentioned the Finance Bill. He was repeatedly called to order by the Chair.
May I take it from the attitude now that all precedent is once again to be thrown to the winds and that a reasonable request that has precedent time and again for a debate on the Adjournment of the Dáil, particularly before the Summer Recess, is now to be denied by this Government because they are afraid to face up to the genuine criticism, that we have to offer?
We will consider all reasonable requests but we expect a little co-operation in getting the business through.
I am not going to bargain one thing against another. I am not going to bargain anything on the Order of Business against our right to have this Adjournment debate.