I wish to inform the House in regard to item No. 7 of the Order Paper, relating to sittings and business. Immediately after the Taoiseach had announced the Order of Business this morning I asked whether the arrangements in respect of sittings and business were agreed, especially in respect of No. 7. It was clear from the voices around me that the procedure was agreed. However, due to an oversight I did not call on the Minister of State, Deputy Vincent Brady, to formally move a motion in respect of item No. 7. I wish to have that matter rectified now in order to clear up any ambiguity and I now call on the Minister of State to move the motion.
Allocation of Time: Motion.
On a point of order, for the information of other Members, I believe there should be a quorum as there are so few present. Quite candidly, like others I do not quite understand what is at issue.
Notice taken that 20 Members were not present; House counted and 20 Members being present,
I had informed the House that due to an oversight I had omitted this morning to call upon the Minister of State, Deputy Vincent Brady, formally to move motion No. 7 in relation to sittings and business of the House. In order to clear up any ambiguity about the matter, I now call upon the Minister of State to move the motion.
I move:
That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders——
(1) the Dáil shall meet at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 1st December, and on that day——
(a) Government business shall not be interrupted at the time fixed for taking Private Members' Business, and
(b) the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. and the hour at which business is to be interrupted shall be 9 p.m.;
(2) the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. on Wednesday, 2nd December, and the hour at which business is to be interrupted shall be 10.30 p.m.;
(3) the Dáil shall meet at 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 4th December, and shall adjourn not later than 4 p.m.; and
(4) in the case of the Extradition (Amendment) Bill, 1987, the following arrangements shall apply——
(a) the speech of each Member called on in the course of the debate on the motion for the second reading of the Bill shall not exceed 45 minutes and the Minister for Justice shall be called on not later than 8.15 p.m. on Tuesday, 1st December, to conclude the debate;
(b) the proceedings of the Second Stage of the Bill, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, 1st December.
(c) the proceedings on the Committee Stage of the Bill, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 1.30 p.m. on Thursday, 3rd December, by one Question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for Justice; and
(d) the proceedings on the remaining Stages of the Bill, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 3rd December, by one Question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for Justice.
Question put and agreed to.