I move:
That, in order to facilitate an address by the President to both Houses of the Oireachtas pursuant to Article 13.7.1º of the Constitution on Thursday, 16th December, 1999, the following arrangements shall apply in respect of sittings and business of the Dáil on that day:
(1) the Dáil shall be enjoined with the Seanad to constitute a Joint Sitting of both Houses of the Oireachtas which shall commence at 12 noon for the purpose of the address by the President; the Ceann Comhairle shall be Chairman of the Joint Sitting and he shall adjourn the Joint Sitting at the conclusion of the address, and
(2) the Sitting of the Dáil shall commence at 2.30 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply:
(i) written questions only shall be taken;
(ii) matters may not be raised under the provisions of Standing Order 31;
(iii) business shall otherwise be confined to statements on the millennium which shall be confined to the following members (or a member nominated in their stead) who shall be called upon in the following sequence and the statements in each case shall not exceed the times indicated:
Leader of the Progressive Democrats – 20 minutes, Leader of the Green Party – 10 minutes, Leader of the Labour Party, Leader of the Fine Gael Party and the Taoiseach – 20 minutes
and, at 4 p.m. or on the conclusion of business, whichever is the earlier, the Dáil shall adjourn forthwith until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 26 January 2000.