Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Why can the House not discuss the Barr report on Abbeylara, or the conclusions of the investigation on the Dean Lyons case? Why was no thought given to avoiding yesterday's situation, when the House was meeting but had no business to conduct? The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform spoke last week about the new laws which were proposed to allow the Government to shut down tribunals. It was reported that Government sources had made it clear that the Minister, Deputy McDowell, had indicated the legislation was a priority for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. If it was a priority for the Department, why did it fall off the schedule yesterday and today? It is not on the schedule for next week, although some other major business is planned that should last approximately half a day in each case. I understand the House will debate the Nuclear Test Ban Bill 2006, which decrees that "a person who carries out, or causes the carrying out of, a nuclear explosion in the State shall be guilty of an offence".

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