Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

The wording of the Order Paper this morning and every morning for the past fortnight has included "notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders". This means the rules of the House, by which we have all agreed our business should be conducted, have been set aside by the Government using its majority. We hear from the Taoiseach on a regular basis that Report Stage of a Bill is of no consequence but Report Stage exists for good reason, that is, to allow the proper scrutiny of legislation in the House by Members. As a result of the guillotine Members will not be able to debate and put forward a positive view on the Lisbon treaty this morning. For example, only two slots will be available for the 20 Labour Party Deputies to discuss the main Stage of this Bill. That is not good politics, it is not good for democracy and it is not a good way to put forward the views of the House on this very important issue. The Government is simply setting aside the rules, to which we have all agreed and which have been time tested in the House and in place for a long period, every morning to make law without discussion. Effectively this is what it is doing. We are opposed to the guillotine in this instance as well.

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