Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 May 1986

Vol. 366 No. 1

Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take Nos. 7, 23, 24 and 25.

By agreement, the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and not later than 11.30 p.m. and business shall be interrupted at 11 p.m.

Also by agreement, Vote 8 shall be taken at 6 p.m. and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 7 p.m. today and the Minister for Finance shall be called on to conclude not later than 6.50 p.m. today.

Also by agreement, if a division is challenged on Vote 8, such division shall be taken at the conclusion of Private Members' Business today.

Also by agreement, No. 25 shall be taken at the conclusion of Private Members' Business and the proceedings on the remaining stages of No. 25 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 9.30 p.m. today by one Question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall in relation to amendments include only amendments set down by An Taoiseach.

Also by agreement, Votes 13 and 14 shall be taken at the conclusion of the proceedings on No. 25 today and the order shall not resume thereafter.

Also by agreement, Votes 13 and 14 shall be taken together for the purposes of debate and the questions necessary to bring the proceedings thereon to a conclusion shall be put not later than 11 p.m. today and the Minister for Finance shall be called on to conclude not later than 10.45 p.m. today.

Also by agreement, if a division is challenged on Votes 13 or 14, the taking of such division shall be postponed until Wednesday, 14 May 1986 at 8.30 p.m.

Private Members' Business shall be No. 49 and will be taken between 7 p.m. and 8.42 p.m. today.

An Ceann Comhairle

Presumably the division on Vote 19, postponed until 8.30 p.m. will not be taken until after the proceedings on the Private Members' Motion. Is that what is intended?

The Taoiseach

Yes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for the late sitting agreed?

Mr. Haughey

Yes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for taking Vote 8 agreed?

Mr. Haughey

Yes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for the taking of the division on Vote 8 agreed?

Mr. Haughey

Yes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for taking Item 25 agreed?

Mr. Haughey

Yes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for taking Votes 13 and 14 agreed?

Mr. Haughey

Yes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for taking a division on Vote 13 and 14, should it arise, agreed?

Mr. Haughey

Yes. I think you will agree that the fact that there are seven items on the Order of Business today, which are subject to the agreement of the Opposition, indicates an unprecedented level of co-operation with this Government in enabling them to get through business. I would like that fact to be noted by the House.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Wilson

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the overbooking by Sealink over the English bank holiday and the stranding of 200 passengers on their journey to Ireland.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Prendergast

May I ask the Minister for Agriculture what proposals, if any, he has about entering into a direct trading arrangement with Poland——

An Ceann Comhairle

That does not arise on the Order of Business. The Deputy will have to find another way of raising it.

Mr. F. Fahey

Sir, I seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the plight of the agricultural industry in Connemara.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Chair will communicate with Deputy Fahey.

Mr. F. Fahey

When is it intended to resume the debate on the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 1985?

The Taoiseach

That is a matter for the Whips.

Mr. O'Kennedy

The House will be aware that we had agreed a timetable for the Finance Bill in accordance with which we were to start this morning on Committee Stage, section 27. The Government have, as a consequence of introducing amendments yesterday of which no Member here had notice——

An Ceann Comhairle

It is on the Order Paper and will be called as the first item.

Mr. O'Kennedy

I accept that but I am asking that when we enter into agreements the Government will please treat the House with respect by not introducing late night amendments which mean changing the agreement the following morning. This is treating the House with mockery.

Mr. B. Ahern

Let me ask the Taoiseach when the legislation on public service reform announced this morning by the Minister of State on the "Morning Ireland" programme will come before the House.

The Taoiseach

Probably in the next session. I would not guarantee it in this session.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

Sir, with your permission I would like to ask, dealing with Question No. 9 on 17 April when I was informed that pending an examination by a tribunal — this is in connection with exports of beef to Canada——

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the Deputy making a request?

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

Will the Taoiseach or the Minister for Foreign Affairs inform the House——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is not in order in raising the matter in this way.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

——if this country will be represented? It is a national scandal when £17 million——

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy O'Keeffe will resume his seat. If he does not resume his seat the Chair will have to take steps towards that end.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

With your permission. Sir, I would like to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Miss Flaherty

I would like to raise on the Adjournment the question of the ongoing uncertainty in relation to the levels of radiation over the weekend and to give the Minister an opportunity to advise the House and the country at large——

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. B. Ahern

I seek to raise on the Adjournment the question of the national lottery particularly in relation to the hundreds of people in the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes who do not know what their future will be.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.

Dr. Ormonde

In relation to Deputy Flaherty's question, let me ask the Minister for Energy if he will explain the discrepancy between his statement at the weekend to the effect that the levels of radiation were twice the normal level and the Nuclear Energy Board's statement this morning that they are 23 times the normal level——

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should not ignore the Chair.

Dr. Ormonde

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am not the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to begin with.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Haughey

I want to make it clear that the Deputy is not speaking for the entire party.

Dr. Ormonde

I apologise.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Chair has ruled that the Deputy is not in order.