Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

A Cheann Comhairle, the important point here is about trust. There are written rules in this House and Standing Orders but there are also unwritten rules on which the Whips depend to ensure that we work well and get through our business. The Taoiseach did not answer the question raised by the leader of the Labour Party. It is unprecedented in my experience that a motion was tabled to be on the schedule for this week, was then withdrawn, reappeared today, was withdrawn again and a different wording put forward. We must be given an explanation. It is most unusual that a committee would be unanimous in rejecting a Standing Order, or at least a statutory instrument, but that is what happened. While I appreciate the point the Taoiseach is making, that a motion did not come before the House from the committee, there were extraordinary circumstances in which the Government was playing games with the schedule of this House. That is extremely serious.

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