Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

With due respect, it was not in the written order of the House. I objected to the guillotine being applied to the Finance Bill. I had the written order in front of me and can confirm with our Whip that, in the copy we received, there was no reference to amendment No. 3. The Ceann Comhairle is suggesting that the Taoiseach, in his presentation to the House, audible only to his colleagues and the Ceann Comhairle, suggested the order for today would be changed without due written notification or discussion by the Whips to rescind a decision the House agreed yesterday quite lawfully and amicably.

The Ceann Comhairle has a responsibility to me, as a Member of the House, as much as he has to the Government. The procedure he is adopting is patently and blatantly unfair. If he is accepting some muttering from the Taoiseach that none of us heard, although we were all alert, it is unfair. I welcomed the fact that the Government, after a long discussion, assented, however silently, to amendment No. 3. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle put the amendment to the House three times.

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