Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Ceann Comhairle has said that the House can vary the order next week and that the House is the master of its own destiny. This motion removes the House's mastery of its own destiny and its discretion. There is no means under the motion the Government is proposing whereby the House can change the order. The motion sets down the business for next week without any provision or opportunity for that business to be varied. There will be no Order of Business, no votes and no Private Members' time. It is removing from the House from next week the discretion the House would have in a normal week's business. I put it to the Ceann Comhairle again that this is not constitutional and I ask him to protect the rights of the Members of this House by, at a minimum, adjourning the House and taking some advice on what I have put to him.

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