Before proceeding with the Order of Business I propose to deal with a notice of motion under Standing Order 30 received from Deputy Spring. I now call on Deputy Spring to state the matter of which he has given me notice.
Request to Move Adjournment of Dáil Under Standing Order 30.
I have served notice that, by virtue of Standing Order 30, I wish to have public business in this House suspended to deal with a matter of urgent public importance, namely, the postal dispute and the chaos consequent thereon and that the House would deal with this motion:
That this House deplores the intransigent and one-sided approach of the Government in the present dispute in An Post; that this House further deplores the introduction of a confrontational management style within An Post and the attempt to develop the casualisation of labour in this important public utility both of which are an affront to the Programme for Economic and Social Progress; that the House considers that this dispute can only ultimately be settled by direct negotiation between the parties to the dispute, and calls on the Government to instruct management in An Post to enter such negotiation immediately and to withdraw its insistence on the introduction of casual labour as a remedy for the future development of the company.
I would say, Sir, that this dispute, now in its fourth week, is causing untold damage to this economy and I believe this House has no more important business than to sort this out on the floor of this House this afternoon.
I have considered the matter fully and I do not consider it to be one contemplated by the Standing Order. Accordingly, I cannot grant leave to move the motion.
With respect, Sir, we are about to deal with items 1 and 11 on the Order of Business, Financial Transactions of Certain Companies and Other Bodies Bill and the Criminal Evidence Bill. I would suggest to you, Sir, and to the Taoiseach and the Government that the chaos that is being caused by this postal dispute must be dealt with before this House——
The Deputy has made his point.
In terms of what is important and what is not important, the postal dispute and the chaos it is causing must be brought onto the floor of this House and the Government made responsible——
Deputy Spring and the House must realise that this is a matter which has not arisen suddenly. It has been ongoing for some time.
That is the problem.
Let us be fair about this. This House has dealt with it by way of ordinary notice questions, Private Notice Questions and on the Adjournment and, as I announced just now, it has been selected for the Adjournment again tonight.
It is a matter of urgency.
I accept it has not arisen suddenly but it should be ended as quickly as possible. The Taoiseach should suspend this House for two hours and bring the Ministers responsible here——
This Ceann Comhairle has been very liberal in dealing with this matter. I am calling the Taoiseach to state the Order of Business.
I accept that, but the urgency requires that this House should deal with this matter this afternoon.
The Government do not think it is urgent. That is for sure.
(Interruptions.)