Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

It lasted two or three days and Members of the House had the opportunity to raise issues on any Estimate or any area of public expenditure. Over the years this has been narrowed down, first to half a day, then a couple of hours and now the Government wants to put the Appropriation Bill, covering the entire finances of the State, through without debate. In normal circumstances that would not be acceptable, but in the financial circumstances we face and the consequences it has for people and for services it is doubly unacceptable. The Labour Party does not agree to taking the Bill without debate.

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