Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

These are two very serious reports. The economy is in a serious state. A total of 400,000 people are out of work. There are huge problems about which we all know. There are two sitting weeks left for the Dáil before it rises. The Taoiseach confirmed to me yesterday that it will rise on 10 July. We must debate the two reports that have been published as part of a serious debate on the economy.

I interpreted the Minister's first reply, when he said that he would leave it to the Whips, benignly as meaning that there would be a debate and that the Whips would arrange the time for it. In his second reply he is pulling back from that and saying that it is not promised but it can be arranged if the Whips can find time and so on. I take it that he would be the Minister leading the debate on this issue. Will we have the opportunity to debate these reports in the House? It is not acceptable to the Labour Party that we will not have a serious debate and discussion on those major reports in the Dáil. That is what we are here to do.

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