Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I am asking about procedure, but the Ceann Comhairle did not let me finish my first sentence. Will he settle back and allow a little bit of fair play? I am indicating that we have citizens outside this institution who are going through a traumatic time in their lives and for their children. There is no accommodation of address of these matters in the proposed ordering of business for today. Whatever about the shuffling of the deck of cards across from us and whatever other changes may be presented, there are real and harrowing issues that must be addressed, issues that have grown in their importance and in their need of substantive address since last we sat in this Chamber. Yet the Taoiseach is proposing that we ignore all of that, that we have the business only of the so-called Cabinet reshuffle and Private Members' business to follow.

That is simply not good enough, and more is expected from the Members of this House against all of the calamitous situations that are ongoing in the lives of ordinary people. This is absolutely unacceptable and I re-emphasise that it is our responsibility and that collectively there is a failure in terms of address of these matters in what the Taoiseach is proposing. Accordingly, the Sinn Féin Deputies will oppose this proposition.

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