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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 6 May 2020

Vol. 992 No. 9

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

I call Deputy Neasa Hourigan to announce the Order of Business for the week.

The business today shall be as set out in the second revised Report of the Business Committee dated 6 May 2020. In relation to today's business, it is proposed that, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the only business to be taken shall be the business as set out in the second revised Report of the Business Committee dated 6 May 2020, with no Questions on Promised Legislation; between each set of statements and questions and answers, the House shall suspend for a period not exceeding 20 minutes; No. 4, statements following video conference of members of the European Council, shall conclude within two hours unless previously concluded, the statements of a Minister or Minister of State and the main spokespersons for parties and groups or a member nominated in their stead shall not exceed ten minutes each, and a Minister or Minister of State shall take questions for a period not exceeding 20 minutes; No. 3a, motion re establishment of Special Committee on Covid-19 Response, shall be taken without debate and any division demanded shall be taken immediately; No. 5, statements and questions and answers on tourism, and No. 6, statements and questions and answers on childcare, shall each conclude within two hours, if not previously concluded, each shall consist of an opening statement by a Minister or a Minister of State of ten minutes, followed by questions and answers not exceeding 110 minutes, and questions and answers by Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin shall not exceed 15 minutes each, with all other parties and groups having ten minutes each.

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the Dáil shall sit at 12 noon and shall sit later than 8.03 p.m.; the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of the statement by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and questions and answers on Covid-19; No. 7, statements and questions and answers to the Taoiseach, shall not exceed 100 minutes, with each party or group having ten minutes; No. 3b, motion re arrangements for reinstatement of written parliamentary questions, shall be taken without debate and any division demanded shall be taken immediately; No. 8, statements on Brexit followed by questions and answers to the Tánaiste, shall conclude within two hours unless previously concluded, an opening statement by the Tánaiste of 15 minutes shall be followed by statements by the main spokespersons for parties and groups or a member nominated in their stead of five minutes each and, following the statements, questions and answers for parties and groups shall not exceed six minutes each, followed by a five-minute response by the Tánaiste; No. 9, statements by the Minister for Health and questions and answers on Covid-19; No. 10, statements by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and questions and answers on Covid-19, shall each conclude within two hours, if not previously concluded, each shall consist of an opening statement by a Minister or Minister of State of ten minutes followed by questions and answers not exceeding 110 minutes, and questions and answers by Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin shall not exceed 15 minutes each, with all other parties and groups having ten minutes each; and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of statements by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and questions and answers on Covid-19 until 12 noon on Wednesday, 13 May 2020.

There are two proposals to put to the House today. First, is the proposal for dealing with today's business agreed to?

I saw on television that it is proposed to have a new committee to discuss Covid-19. Is it possible for Members to be given the terms of reference of this committee? I notice its membership-----

They are on the Order Paper, Deputy.

I note that it seems to be done on something of a d'Hondt system in that the larger parties have four members and there are disproportionately fewer places for the smaller groupings. With what frequency is the committee going to meet and would it be the same frequency as the Dáil reform committee that was constituted here six or seven weeks ago? It would be superficial for us to set up another committee that does not meet.

Second, might the Ceann Comhairle, as Ceann Comhairle and ex officio chair of the Business Committee, propose the reconfiguration of that committee in the same proportional way as the new Covid-19 committee is constituted? It would make it entirely more proportionately representative than how it is currently constituted.

Thank you, Deputy. Is the proposal for dealing with today's business agreed to? Agreed. Second, is the proposal for dealing with Thursday's business agreed to? Agreed.

We will move on to No. 4, statements following the video conference of members of the European Council. The Taoiseach has ten minutes to make an opening statement.

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