Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It is proposed to take No. 5, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the agreement between the European Union and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of financial messaging data from the European Union to the United States for the purposes of the terrorist finance tracking programme, back from committee; No. a15, statements on the EU-IMF programme for Ireland and the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and business shall be interrupted on the adjournment of Private Members' Business which shall be No. 81, motion re stability and the budgetary process, which shall take place at 7 p.m. tonight or on the conclusion of the Leaders' speeches of No. a15, whichever is the later, and which shall adjourn after 90 minutes; No. 5 shall be decided without debate; the proceedings in No. a15 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7 p.m. tomorrow night and the following arrangements shall apply: the statements of the Taoiseach and of the Leaders of Fine Gael, the Labour Party, the Green Party and Sinn Féin, or a person nominated in his stead, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case; the statement of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case; the statement of each other member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; a Minister shall take questions for a period not exceeding 20 minutes; a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes.

See this speech in context