We will now move on to a motion regarding Standing Orders 23, 25, 28, 39, 84A, 111F, 140, 146 and 156.
Standing Orders: Motion
I move:
That, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Procedure and the sub-Committee on Dáil Reform under Standing Order 107(1)(a), the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business be amended as follows:
(a) in Standing Order 23, in paragraph (1), by the deletion of subparagraph (a) and the substitution of the following:
‘(a) every Tuesday at 10 p.m. and every Wednesday at 10.15 p.m., and’;
(b) in Standing Order 25, in paragraph (1), by the deletion of ‘until 4.30 p.m.’ and the substitution of ‘for 40 minutes’;
(c) in Standing Order 28, in paragraph (3), by the deletion of ‘but for a period not exceeding 15 minutes’ and the substitution of ‘but for a period not exceeding 30 minutes on a Wednesday and 15 minutes on a Thursday’;
(d) in Standing Order 39, in paragraph (1), by the deletion of subparagraph (c) and the substitution of the following:
‘(c) The time allowed for Taoiseach’s Questions shall not exceed 45 minutes each day: Provided that the time allowed for each Question or group of Questions shall not exceed 15 minutes, of which—
(i) the time allowed for the initial reply from the Taoiseach shall not exceed three minutes, and
(ii) the time allowed for each supplementary question or the reply thereto shall not exceed one-and-a-half minutes.
Further provided that the Ceann Comhairle may, at the request of the Members present at the time, but at his or her discretion, allow more than 15 minutes (without exceeding the overall allocation of 45 minutes) for a group of Questions where the number of Questions grouped together would prevent all Members in whose names the Questions had been tabled from putting a supplementary question.’;
(e) in Standing Order 84A, in subparagraph (8)(b), by the insertion of the following after ‘may select’:
‘: Provided that the provisions of Standing Order 111F apply where the Select Committee has not considered the Ombudsman report, or a portion or portions thereof, within two months (excluding Christmas, Easter or summer recess periods) of the report being laid before either or both Houses of the Oireachtas’;
(f) by the adoption of the following Standing Order:
‘111F. Where a Select Committee does not under Standing Order 84A(8)(b) consider an Ombudsman report, or a portion or portions thereof, within two months (excluding Christmas, Easter or summer recess periods) of the report being laid before either or both Houses of the Oireachtas, the Committee shall proceed to consider the Ombudsman report, or any portions thereof not considered by the Select Committee.’;
(g) in Standing Order 140, in paragraph (1), by the deletion of subparagraph (b) (down to and including ‘8 p.m.’) and the substitution of the following:
‘(b) on Wednesdays for two hours immediately following the suspension of sitting under Standing Order 25(1): Provided that the Business Committee may, where
divisions on Government business are likely to occur, decide that the Government business will be taken at that time and the Private Members’ business deferred until 8.15 p.m.:’;
(h) by the adoption of the following Standing Order in substitution for Standing Order 146:
‘146. At a sitting of the Dáil following the death of a former Member of the Dáil, a Member of the Dáil, a Head of State, Prime Minister or other person of similar status, expressions of sympathy may be heard in accordance with arrangements agreed by the House further to a recommendation in the report of the Business Committee under Standing Order 27C.’;
and
i) in Standing Order 156, by the deletion of paragraph (3) and the substitution of the following:
‘(3) Members may speak twice on an amendment offered to a Bill on Report. The first contribution shall not exceed seven minutes and the second contribution shall not exceed two minutes: Provided that the member who moved the amendment shall also have a right of reply which shall not exceed two minutes.’.”
Are these new Standing Orders?
These are matters regarding Standing Orders and were agreed by the Business Committee and the Dáil reform committee prior to Christmas.
Question put and agreed to.