The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. c7, Financial Motions by the Minister for Finance [1999] (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the resumed debate on No. c7: (i) the speech of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party and of the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 40 minutes; (ii) the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case; and (iii) Members may share time.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal for dealing with c7 agreed to? Agreed.
On a day when historic divisions on this island are finally being done away with, is the Taoiseach aware of the new inequitable divisions he has created in the budget? These include a lack of respect for the work done by women in the home.
The budget debate will follow the Order of Business.
Deputy Owen wants to have it every way.
I have a reason for raising this matter. Will the Minister for Finance place in the Dáil Library the advice from the Attorney General, and any other advice, he received before inserting a clause in the budget about the constitutionality—
That matter can be raised during the budget debate.
I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, but I am seeking something to be placed in the Library for all Members of the House before the debate starts so we will know exactly that the Government is working on a sound legal basis.
We cannot have such a debate prior to the budget debate.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the divisions created by the budget and the anger among Fianna Fáil backbenchers?
The Deputy is completely out of order. The budget debate follows the Order of Business.
The Taoiseach was not in the Dáil bar last night when great anger was expressed by his own backbenchers.
The Deputy is completely out of order and should resume her seat.
A range of eminent people have said this Government is failing to recognise the needs of women and children and is also failing to recognise people on low pay.
The House has properly expressed its congratulations to the Taoiseach for the work that has obviously occupied much of his time for several months. It is quite clear, however, that he has left domestic affairs to the Tánaiste and her advisers. Is the Taoiseach aware of the fury of families over the proposals included in the budget?
The House cannot have a budget debate on the Order of Business when the budget will be debated in a few minutes time. The Deputy is completely out of order in raising this matter.
How can the Independent Deputies support this Government?
Given that Deputies want to discuss the budget, I now propose that we proceed to the budget debate by taking item No. c7, Financial motions by the Minister for Finance [1999]. I call on Deputy Jim O'Keeffe to make his speech. It is the clear desire of the House to proceed to the budget debate.
(Interruptions).
That is ridiculous, a Cheann Comhairle.
Sitting suspended at 10.50 a.m. and resumed at 11 o'clock.
We resume on item c7.
I had a very valid point of order.
What is the Deputy's point of order?
A number of Fine Gael Deputies and others wished to speak—
That is not a point of order.
—on the Order of Business. Will you explain the reason for your ruling to abandon—
If the Deputy reads Standing Order 26, she will come to understand—
A number of other Deputies wanted to discuss this. I am not surprised the Government walked out.
I have called item c7, Financial Motions—
Why could Deputies not raise other issues—
On a point of order, the smooth running of this House depends on the co-operation of all sides. It is quite unacceptable to the Deputies on this side of the House for the business that normally takes place on the Order of Business to be interrupted in the way it was this morning. It is unfair to Deputies and will lead to disorderly conduct.
That is not a point of order.
Nothing is more germane to good order than—
The Deputy is making a statement rather than a point of order. Does Deputy McManus have a point of order?
The perception that Deputies are being denied the right to contribute—
The Deputy should resume his seat and allow the other point of order to be made.
—on matters of importance is a fundamental—
The Deputy is out of order. I have called Deputy McManus on a point of order.
This is profoundly unfair and—
No one is unfair except the House itself. I have called Deputy McManus on a point of order
The notion that the House could be adjourned at—
I have called Deputy McManus on a point of order.
We are all elected to this House on a equal basis. A number of Deputies were trying to make points on the Order of Business—
If the Deputies-—
—but because there was a bit of a row, you just abandoned the—
There was more than a bit of a row. I call Deputy McManus.
(Interruptions).
The Deputy refused point blank to obey the Chair. The Deputy carries the responsibility.
I had a very valid point.
We are not discussing that. I call Deputy McManus on a point of order.
The whole country is talking about the budget.
The Deputy continues to disobey the Chair.
You have often allowed party leaders to discuss the—
I call Deputy McManus on a point of order.
As part of my concern for the Order of Business in the House, I want to ask the question that I would have asked on the Order of Business if you had allowed me. There is a missing Supplementary Estimate on Health, which should have been put forward today because the committee is due to meet on Tuesday.
That does not—
We have to know the Order of Business and how this House is being run. We have lost that opportunity because of the—
We now proceed to item c7.
We are entitled to have a Health Estimate.
On a point of order—
Members must be able to vindicate their rights.
The Chair will not be challenged in this way. The Chair exercised its perfect right under Standing Order 26. I now call Deputy Jim O'Keeffe. If he does not start his speech, I will proceed to the next speaker.
(Interruptions).
I have called Deputy Jim O'Keeffe. Will Deputies resume their seats so that the House—
On a point of order—
I call Deputy de Rossa on a point of order.
The Order of Business in the House is an important part of the day and an important part of the role of a Deputy, particularly backbenchers who raise matters they might not normally get a chance to raise. Therefore, a Chathaoirligh, I suggest you acted disproportionately this morning by denying—
The Deputy cannot criticise the Chair.
I am trying to make a point of order.
That is not a point of order. The Deputy should resume his seat. He is again proving the point that what is happening is that Deputies are refusing to obey the ruling of the Chair. The Deputy now refuses to obey the ruling of the Chair.
I am not refusing.
If Deputies refuse to obey the ruling of the Chair, this House cannot operate. That was proved this morning. I ruled—
May I finish my point of order?
It is not a point of order. The Deputy is casting reflections on the Chair. The Deputy should resume his seat.
It is a point of order.
It is not a point of order. The Deputy will resume his seat.
How can you know it is not a point of order if I cannot finish it?
I suspend the sitting of this House for 30 minutes.
This is intolerable.
Sitting suspended at 11.05 a.m. and resumed at 11.35 p.m.