Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take item Nos. 7 and 20.

By agreement, the Dáil shall sit later than 5.30 p.m. today and not later than 11.30 p.m. and business shall be interrupted at 11 p.m. Also by agreement, the Dáil shall be suspended between 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. today.

Also by agreement, the proceedings on item No. 20 shall be interrupted at 5 p.m. today to take the Supplementary Estimates being introduced today and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) Votes 2, 7, 10, 15, 18, 24, 37, 38, 42, 44 and 51 shall be taken without debate;

(b) Vote 48 shall be taken at 5 p.m. today and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 7 p.m. today;

(c) Vote 49 shall be taken not later than 7 p.m. today and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 8.30 p.m. today;

(d) Vote 43 shall be taken not later than 8.30 p.m. today and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 10 p.m. today;

(e) Vote 39 shall be taken not later than 10 p.m. today and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 11 p.m. today and the order shall not resume thereafter.

Also by agreement, if a division is challenged on any Estimate today, the taking of such division shall be postponed until 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 10 December 1986.

Also by agreement, the Dáil shall meet at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow and shall adjourn not later than 4 p.m. tomorrow and the business shall be confined to Estimates for Public Services.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the late sitting agreed? Agreed. Are the arrangements for today's business agreed? Agreed. Is it agreed that the Dáil shall sit tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. until 4 p.m. and that business shall be confined to Estimates? Agreed.

Mr. Haughey

Would the Taoiseach like to give us the total amount involved in all these Supplementary Estimates which are on the Order Paper today?

The Taoiseach

I have not that figure in my head, but I am quite willing to tot it up and give it to the Deputy in due course.

Mr. Haughey

Would I be right in saying it is pushing on for £100 million?

The Taoiseach

I have not the precise figure. I think the Deputy will be aware that these Supplementary Estimates in some areas are offset by savings elsewhere in a number of respects, so that there are several sides to it. The Supplementary Estimates, of course, in some instances represent the result of budgetary decisions.

Mr. Haughey

Will the Taoiseach confirm or agree with me that by the time these Supplementary Estimates and other expenditure are given effect to the budget deficit for this year will be in the order of 8.8 per cent of the gross national product, the highest ever recorded in the history of the State?

The Taoiseach

I do not think it will.

Mr. Haughey

I think it will.

Mr. Dukes

The Deputy has been wrong before.

An Ceann Comhairle

What the Deputy was dealing with would be more appropriately dealt with when I call the items.

Mr. Haughey

Having established that financial rectitude is as dead as a dodo, I want to move to another point.

Minister of Health (Mr. B. Desmond)

The Deputy is wrong again.

Mr. Haughey

I understand the Taoiseach is travelling to London shortly to attend a meeting of the Heads of Government of the Community.

An Ceann Comhairle

That does not arise on the Order of Business.

Mr. Haughey

You do not know what I am going to say.

An Ceann Comhairle

I have a fair idea.

Mr. Haughey

Will the Taoiseach avail of his meeting with the British Prime Minister to convey to her the unanimous decision of Dáil Éireann last night that Sellafield should be closed?

An Ceann Comhairle

I can now confirm that it does not arise on the Order of Business.

Mr. Haughey

Maybe the Taoiseach would indulge the House and convey to the British Prime Minister the unanimous decision of Dáil Éireann in regard to this dangerous menace at Sellafield?

Mr. Leyden

He would be afraid to do so.

Mr. N. Treacy

Maybe the Taoiseach is not in favour of it?

The Taoiseach

On the contrary, but unfortunately we do not have the power to decide. That is the problem.

Mr. Wilson

I want to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 64 of Tuesday, 2 December 1986, and the bit of a con job performed on the Cootehill Town Commissioners by the Department of the Environment.

Mr. Haughey

The Taoiseach might mention that to the British Prime Minister too.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Tomás Mac Giolla

On the Order of Business, two hours have been allotted to Vote No. 48, 1½ hours to the Health Vote, 1½ hours to the Communications Vote and 1 hour to the Gaeltacht Vote.

An Ceann Comhairle

We have already agreed the Order of Business.

Tomás Mac Giolla

I was endeavouring to get in, but you called Deputy Haughey first who was not speaking on the Order of Business.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy MacGiolla did not intimate to the House or to the Chair that he was objecting to the Order of Business. It has been decided by the House.

Tomás MacGiolla

I am entitled to object to the Order of Business because this gives no time to Deputies other than the Minister and the first speaker of the Opposition who are both allotted 45 minutes, which take up 1½ hours.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy had an opportunity of making that point when I said "is it agreed?".

Tomás MacGiolla

Every day Deputy Haughey is called first, no matter what he has to say. When I want to speak on the Order of Business I am not allowed in. I am entitled to object to the fact that two hours only are allowed for one Estimate and that the Minister and the first Opposition speaker are allowed 45 minutes each, which leaves no time for any other Deputy. We were not consulted on this.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Thursday, 4 Dec 1986

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 4 Dec 1986