Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I wish to raise two matters, the first of which relates to Standing Orders. Has there been a change in Standing Orders in terms of providing equality of time in major debates for all parties in the House of two Deputies or more? I refer to the public statement by the Tánaiste that he had only five minutes to speak on the Moriarty tribunal; he was busy writing his inspirational work for the weekend and could not take up that five minute slot and he could not find any of his colleagues to tell them he was not taking up that slot.

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