Amendments to Standing Orders: Motion

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Mary Butler)

I move:

That, until further notice in the 34th Dáil, and with effect from the week beginning Monday 31st March, 2025, the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business be amended as follows:

(a) Standing Order 28: Constitution of the Business Committee

In Standing Order 28, by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (2)(c):

"(d) a representative of Other Members as defined in Standing Order 176A who are not members of a party in Government;";

(b) Standing Order 35: Order of Business

In Standing Order 35, in paragraph (2), by the deletion of "not exceeding one minute from a representative of each party or group in Opposition, following which a member of the Government may make a statement in response which shall not exceed three minutes" and the substitution of "not exceeding 30 seconds from a Whip or deputy Whip of a party in Opposition and from a representative of a technical group on the Business Committee (or from his or her nominee), following which the Government Chief Whip (or his or her nominee) may make a statement in response which shall not exceed three minutes";

By the adoption of the following new Standing Order:

"38A. (1) Subject to paragraph (2), and notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 34(1), on Wednesdays and Thursdays, a question about a matter of topical public importance may be put to the Taoiseach by Other Members as defined in Standing Order 176A immediately following Leaders' Questions pursuant to Standing Order 38: Provided that the Taoiseach may nominate another member of the Government to take Other Members' Questions in his or her absence. On Thursdays the provisions of this Standing Order shall apply with the substitution of "Tánaiste" for "Taoiseach".

(2) Only one question may be put by Other Members per day, each Question shall not exceed three minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the response and supplementary questions:

(a) the Taoiseach shall be called upon to reply for a period not exceeding three minutes;

(b) the member who asked the original question may then ask a brief supplementary question not exceeding one minute; and

The Government Chief Whip on behalf of the Government shall determine on a weekly basis the Other Members who shall be entitled to ask Questions under this Standing Order.";

(d) Standing Order 39: Topical issues

In Standing Order 39—

(i) in paragraph (1), by the deletion of "Provided that topical issues shall reach the Clerk not later than 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to be considered for selection on that day" and the substitution of "Provided that topical issues shall reach the Clerk not later than 10 a.m. on a Tuesday or Thursday to be considered for selection on that day, and topical issues submitted for Wednesdays shall reach the Clerk not later than 1 p.m. the day before, save where Wednesday is the first sitting day of the week, in which case topical issues shall reach the Clerk by 10 a.m. that morning";

(ii) in paragraph (2), by the deletion of "four" and the substitution of "five" in each place where it occurs; and

(iii) in paragraph (4)—

(I) in subparagraph (i), by the deletion of "four" and the substitution of "five", and

(II) in subparagraph (ii) by the deletion of "48 minutes" and the substitution of "60 minutes";

(e) Standing Order 47: Time for Questions

In Standing Order 47—

(i) in paragraph (1), by the deletion of "Questions for oral answer to other members of the Government shall be taken for a period not exceeding 90 minutes" and the substitution of "Questions for oral answer to other members of the Government shall be taken for a period not exceeding 96.5 minutes"; and

(ii) in paragraph (2), by the deletion of "shall not exceed 90 minutes" and the substitution of "shall not exceed 96.5 minutes";

(f) Standing Order 48: Questions to Taoiseach; and Questions to other members of the Government: rota

In Standing Order 48, in paragraph (1), by the deletion of subparagraph (a), and the substitution of the following subparagraph:

"(a) Questions addressed to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) may be asked only on Tuesdays (save where the first sitting day of the week is a Wednesday, in which case they may be asked on Wednesdays) and shall be placed on the Questions Paper before Questions to other members of the Government to be asked on the same day.";

(g) Standing Order 50: Questions nominated for priority

In Standing Order 50, by the deletion of paragraph (1) and the substitution of the following paragraph:

"(1) In relation to Questions which have been nominated for priority, the following provisions shall apply: —

(a) Questions nominated for priority shall be placed on the Questions Paper before other Questions to members of the Government, other than the Taoiseach, to be asked on the same day;

(b) the number of such Questions for answer on any one day shall not exceed six, to which the following provisions shall apply:

(i) the first five Questions shall be in the name of a member nominated by a group (as defined in Standing Order 170) in Opposition, and shall be placed on the Questions Paper so as to rotate between groups in Opposition, with preference being given to the larger group (preference being decided by lot in any case of equality between groups): Provided that a party which is a group under Standing Order 172(1) shall have precedence over a group recognised under paragraph (2) of that Standing Order; and

(ii) the Government shall determine the allocation of the sixth Question to Other Members as defined in Standing Order 176A; and

(c) a member entitled to Questions nominated for priority under this Standing Order may nominate a substitute Question or Questions for Questions which may be transferred or disallowed. Such nomination shall be made in writing and must reach the Clerk not later than 11 a.m. on the third day preceding that on which the Questions are to be asked, not reckoning a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.";

(h) Standing Order 128: Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform

In Standing Order 128, by the deletion of paragraph (4) and the substitution of the following:

"(4) The Committee shall consist of the Ceann Comhairle, who ex officio shall be Cathaoirleach, and who shall have only one vote, and such number of members so as to be impartially representative of all parties and groups and Other Members in the Dáil. The quorum shall be eight. In the unavoidable absence of the Ceann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle may act as Cathaoirleach.";

(i) Standing Order 129: Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight

In Standing Order 129, by the deletion of paragraph (4) and the substitution of the following:

(j) Standing Order 176A: Rights of Other Members

By the adoption of the following new Standing Order:

"176A. (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this Standing Order, members who are not members of a group pursuant to Standing Order 170 shall be referred to in these Standing Orders as 'Other Members' and shall have the following entitlements:

(a) Other Members' Questions in accordance with Standing Order 38A;

(b) Questions nominated for priority in accordance with Standing Order 50(1);

(d) representation on the Business Committee established pursuant to Standing Order 28;

(e) representation on the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform established pursuant to Standing Order 128; and

(f) such other rights as may be provided for Other Members in these Standing Orders.

(2) The following members qualify as Other Members for the purposes of these Standing Orders:

(a) members of a party in Government; and

(b) all members not included in paragraph (a) who are not members of a group pursuant to Standing Order 170 and who number at least five;

Provided that no member of the Government or Minister of State shall be considered to be one of the Other Members.";

(k) Standing Order 177: Time limits to debate

In Standing Order 177, by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (4):

"(4) The following sequence and times shall apply in relation to the speaking arrangements on private members' time:

(a) where Sinn Féin is the sponsor—

— Sinn Féin – 20 minutes

— Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes

— Sinn Féin – 10 minutes

— all other parties and groups in Opposition – 12 minutes each

— Other Members as defined in Standing Order 176A – 12 minutes

— Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes

— Sinn Féin – 10 minutes; and

(b) where any other party or group in Opposition is the sponsor¯

— Sponsor – 20 minutes

— Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes

— Sponsor – 10 minutes

— Sinn Féin – 20 minutes

— all other parties and groups in Opposition – 10 minutes each

— Other Members as defined in Standing Order 176A – 10 minutes

— Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes

— Sponsor – 10 minutes;

Provided that where a group or Other Members choose not to avail of their time slot, they may agree with a recipient (i.e., a group or an individual member), that the recipient may use the time. Any such agreement to transfer time shall be notified to the Ceann Comhairle in advance of private members' time, and any additional time received under this proviso shall not give a member an entitlement to speak twice;

Provided further that a group which consists only of a single party shall have precedence over a technical group."; and

(l) Schedule 3: Ordinary routine of business

By the adoption of the schedule in the Appendix to this motion in substitution for Schedule 3 to Standing Orders.

Appendix: Ordinary routine of business

TUESDAY	Start 2 p.m.
Leaders' Questions	2.00 p.m. – 2.34 p.m.
Order of Business and Questions on Policy or Legislation	2.34 p.m. – 3.04 p.m.
Any motions for introduction of Bills pursuant to Standing Order 180	Up to 5 minutes of speeches per Bill
Any motions listed on the report of the Business Committee under ‘Motion(s) without debate'
Any motions for referral of Bills to Select Committee pursuant to Standing Order 187(2)
PQs – Oral Taoiseach	3.04 p.m. – 3.49 p.m. approx.
Government Business	3.49 p.m. – 6.12 p.m. approx.
Private notice questions (if allowed)	No set time
Private Members' Business	6.12 p.m. – 8.12 p.m. approx.
PQs – Oral Minister (1)	8.12 p.m. – 9.48 p.m. approx.
Topical issues	9.48 p.m. 10.48 p.m. approx.
	Dáil adjourns 10.48 p.m. approx.
WEDNESDAY	Start 9 a.m.
Topical issues	9.00 a.m. – 10.00 a.m.
Private Members' Business	10.00 a.m. – 12 noon
Leaders' Questions	12 noon – 12.34 p.m.
Other Members' Questions	12.34 p.m. 12.42 p.m.
Questions on Policy or Legislation	12.42 p.m. 1.12 p.m.
Any motions for introduction of Bills pursuant to Standing Order 180	Up to 5 minutes of speeches per Bill
Any motions listed on the report of the Business Committee under 'Motion(s) without debate'
Any motions for referral of Bills to Select Committee pursuant to Standing Order 187(2)
SOS	1.12 p.m. – 2.12 p.m.
Government Business	2.12 p.m. – 8.45 p.m.
Private notice questions (if allowed)	No set time
Voting block	8.45 p.m. – 9.30 p.m.
	Dáil adjourns 9.30 p.m. approx.
THURSDAY	Start 8.47 a.m.
PQs – Oral Minister (2)	8.47 a.m. – 10.23 a.m.
PQs – Oral Minister (3)	10.23 a.m. – 12 noon
Leaders' Questions	12 noon – 12.34 p.m.
Other Members' Questions	12.34 p.m. 12.42 p.m.
Questions on Policy or Legislation	12.42 p.m. 1.12 p.m.
Any motions for introduction of Bills pursuant to Standing Order 180	Up to 5 minutes of speeches per Bill
Any motions listed on the report of the Business Committee under 'Motion(s) without debate'
Any motions for referral of Bills to Select Committee pursuant to Standing Order 187(2)
SOS	1.12 p.m. – 1.52 p.m.
Government Business	1.52 p.m. – 7.24 p.m. approx.
Private notice questions (if allowed)	No set time
Topical issues	7.24 p.m. – 8.24 p.m. approx.
Second Stage of Private Member's Bill or Committee report (alternating weekly)	8.24 p.m. – 9.39 p.m.
	Dáil adjourns 9.39 p.m. approx."

(Interruptions)

An Ceann Comhairle

I call on Deputy McDonald to move the amendment.

Amendment No. 1 not moved.

Question put.

An Ceann Comhairle

The taking of the division has been obstructed. The tellers of one side have, without good reason, refused to sign the teller sheet. Accordingly, pursuant to Standing Order 91, I hereby declare the question is carried.

Question declared carried.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Tuesday, 25 Mar 2025