Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take Nos. 4, 14 and 15. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall meet tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. and shall adjourn not later than 4 p.m. It is further proposed that statements shall be made now under Standing Order 41 and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the statement of the Minister for Industry and Commerce and of the spokesperson for each of the parties in Opposition shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; and (b) the Minister shall make a statement in reply not exceeding ten minutes.

Subject to the agreement of the House, it is further proposed that: 1. No. 4 shall be decided without debate; 2. the proceedings on the Second Stage of No. 14 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 2 p.m. tomorrow and the Minister for Justice shall be called upon not later than 1.40 p.m. to reply to the debate; 3. in respect of Nos. 10 and 11, which shall be taken tomorrow, the speech of each Member called on shall not exceed ten minutes and the questions necessary to bring the proceedings to a conclusion shall be put not later than 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively; and 4. Any divisions demanded tomorrow, shall be postponed until 6.45 p.m. on Wednesday, 11 March 1992.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the proposal in respect to the meeting of the Dáil tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. and its adjournment not later than 4 p.m. satisfactory? Agreed. Is the proposal in relation to the making of statements today satisfactory?

Mr. J. Bruton

It is not satisfactory but we will agree to it.

Mr. Spring

In relation to the Standing Orders, it is normal that there is consultation between the Whips in the ordering of business, and I ask the Taoiseach to ensure that this is adhered to in future.

Proinsias De Rossa

There are a number of points I wish to make in relation to the orders which are being sought to be made this morning. It seems extraordinary that only after two Deputies in this House sought the adjournment of the House under Standing Order 30 that the Government decided to provide time for ten-minute statements and ten minutes for the Minister to reply. I believe it would be a mistake for this House to assume that the public will be satisfied with this House dealing with a major issue in such a shorthanded fashion. The fact that the Government proposed time for the making of statements this morning without consultation with any of the parties in the House——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is embarking upon a speech.

Proinsias De Rossa

I am not; I am making a point in relation——

An Ceann Comhairle

A brief comment should be sufficient as to whether the Deputy is agreeing to the procedures before us or not.

Proinsias De Rossa

I believe I am in order in speaking to a proposal which will alter the order of this House.

An Ceann Comhairle

I ask the Deputy to be very brief.

Proinsias De Rossa

I will be as brief as I can possibly be in the circumstances. I have received two Orders of Business, one which I received at approximately 10.15 a.m. which contained no reference at all to statements being made in the House and the other which I received as I sat in the House before the Government came into the House. The point I am making is that we are being asked to agree to the making of statements on an important issue without any consultation on the matter.

It is also proposed that item No. 4 shall be decided without debate. It may be that that item, an amendment to the Merchant Shipping Bill, was well and truly debated in the Seanad, but I have no idea at this stage whether this amendment is going to be agreed to by the Government or whether it is going to be defeated, nor have I any idea what the Government's views are on it. It has not been debated in this House——

An Ceann Comhairle

May I suggest to the Deputy that we go through the Order of Business as usual — and he can raise his objection, if any, on the item as we meet it. I note he is objecting to——

Proinsias De Rossa

I am trying to save the House time——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am going through the Order of Business seriatim.

Proinsias De Rossa

May I——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am going through the Order of Business in the normal way. The Deputy will be afforded the opportunity of commenting briefly thereon as we go along.

Proinsias De Rossa

Thank you.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the proposal in respect of statements satisfactory? Agreed. Is it agreed that No. 4 shall be decided without debate?

Proinsias De Rossa

I was in the course of making the point that again we are being asked to agree without debate item No. 4, about which we should have received notice in advance so that we could decide whether it was important enough to have a debate on it——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy has made his point.

Proinsias De Rossa

It is treating this House like a——

An Ceann Comhairle

Is it agreed that item No. 4 shall be decided without debate?

Mr. McCartan

Not agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will put the question formally to the House.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposals for dealing with the Second Stage of No. 14 satisfactory?

Proinsias De Rossa

Again, this is very important legislation which the Government are proposing to guillotine tomorrow. This legislation has been referred to by the Garda Review Body as a watershed in Irish criminal law. Only four speeches have been made so far in the House on this legislation. It is improper——

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Thursday, 5 Mar 1992

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Mar 1992