Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I rise this evening in support of the motion submitted on behalf of Fine Gael. Speaking on behalf of a party whose constant theme has been the necessity to secure the accountability of Government in this House and its Members, I welcome any proposal, however modest in its terms, to advance that cause.

Specifically, Standing Order 26 provides that the Taoiseach, a member of the Government or the Government Chief Whip may take the Order of Business on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but that a member of the Government or the Government Chief Whip shall take the Order of Business on Thursdays. In other words, there is no Taoiseach on Thursdays.

Standing Order 26(3)(a) sets out the time for the taking of Leaders' Questions and provides for time limits on questions and replies with an overall time limit of 21 minutes on Leaders' Questions. It also sets out the sequence in which Leaders' Questions may be asked. Finally, it provides that political parties recognised under Standing Order 114(1)(a) get precedence over groups recognised under Standing Order 114(1)(b). Standing Order 26 is clearly defective in its terms. Apart from anything else, the Taoiseach is prohibited from taking the Order of Business on a Thursday, even if he wants to do so.

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