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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Sep 1985

Vol. 109 No. 1

Agricultural Aid Motion: Allocation of Time.

I move:

That notwithstanding Standing Order 41 the following arrangements shall apply in the debate on the motion relating to agricultural aid and on any amendments thereto:—

(a) the time allowed for the debate on the motion shall not exceed 5 hours;

(b) the speech of the Senator proposing the motion shall not exceed 35 minutes:

(c) the speech of a Senator proposing an amendment shall not exceed 30 minutes;

(d) the speech of each other Senator called on (other than the final speakers) shall not exceed 25 minutes;

(e) the debate shall conclude with a final speaker being called from each side of the House in the order of (i) non-Government and (ii) Government, the speech in each case not to exceed 30 minutes.

This is a motion that has been put down after discussions with representatives of the other groups. It is, in fact, concerned with the allocation of time. Usually allocation of time motions are concerned with limitation of time. This is concerned with the extension of time. This debate on a Private Members' motion, which would normally take about three hours, is now being extended to five. In the motion as put down here it is suggested under paragraph (d) that there should also be an extension in regard to the time of individual speeches by Senators from 15 to 25 minutes. Since the motion has been put down, the point has been raised by Senators that a large number of Senators wish to participate in this debate and that if we did keep a limit of five hours, and 25 minutes per speech, this would restrict the number of Senators. Accordingly, in moving this motion I would ask the permission of the House to amend it in respect of paragraph (d) by reverting to the normal 15 minutes, so that we would have a larger number of 15 minute speeches rather than a smaller number of 25 minute speeches. With that amendment, I propose No. 2.

I second that.

Question put and agreed to.
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