Dáil debates

Tuesday, 26 June 2007

5:00 pm

Photo of Emmet StaggEmmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

This is a very bad start to the guillotine season as normally we do not see it in use until well into the life of a parliament. This is the second guillotine proposed today. The purpose and reason for our presence in this House is to hold the Executive to account. If debate is stultified to the degree proposed here, only one of the 20 Labour Party Deputies will be allowed speak, and that will be for a short and curtailed time of 15 minutes. This is a very short speaking time on this type of issue. We are opposed to the use of the guillotine as a routine parliamentary measure. We accept it may be required and necessary on occasion but not as a routine measure where every debate would simply stop when the Government decided it should.

I ask that Standing Orders be examined under the chairmanship of the Ceann Comhairle in committee to see how the Government can be prevented from abusing the House in this manner.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.