Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It is proposed to take No. 6, motion re Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2009; No. 7, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2009; and No. 12, Budget Statements and the Financial Motions by the Minister for Finance shall be taken today at 3.45 p.m.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and the motion for the General Financial Resolution shall be moved not later than midnight whereupon business shall then be interrupted and the Dáil shall adjourn forthwith; (2) Nos. 6 and 7 shall be decided without debate; (3) following the budget statement of the Minister for Finance, the following arrangements shall apply in regard to the proceedings on No. 12: (i) the statements of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin shall not exceed 45 minutes; and (ii) following the statements the sitting shall be suspended for 30 minutes; (4) Private Members' business this week, which shall be No. 54, motion re Cystic Fibrosis, shall be taken on Thursday, 9 April 2009, after the Order of Business and shall be brought to a conclusion after three hours on that day, if not previously concluded; (5) all divisions demanded on No. 12 shall be taken manually; and (6) there shall be no Order of Business (i.e. within the meaning of Standing Order 26) tomorrow and the business to be transacted shall be No. 12, Financial Motions by the Minister for Finance (Motion 11, resumed) and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the speech of the Taoiseach and of the main spokespersons, or a Member nominated in his or her stead, for the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 40 minutes in each case; (ii) the suspension of sitting under Standing Order 23(1) shall take place at 1.30 p.m., or on the conclusion of the speeches specified in (6)(i), whichever is the later, until 2.30 p.m.; and (iii) the speech of each other Member called upon, who may share their time, shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case.

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