Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or the Resolution of the Dáil of 5th April, 2011, in respect of Standing Orders 26 and 36, the following amendments be made to the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business until further notice in the 31st Dáil:

(a) The substitution of the following for Standing Order 19:

'19. (1) The quorum necessary to constitute a meeting of the Dáil, other than a meeting at which business comprehended by Standing Order 117A is to be considered, shall be twenty members. [See S.O. 77]

(2) The quorum necessary to constitute a meeting of the Dáil for the purpose of considering business comprehended by Standing Order 117A shall be ten members. [See S.O. 77]';

(b)

In Standing Order 20, the substitution of 'or while a matter brought forward in accordance with Standing Order 27A is being considered' for 'or while a matter brought forward in accordance with Standing Order 21(3) is being discussed';

(c)

The substitution of the following for Standing Order 21:

'21.(1)Unless the Dáil shall otherwise resolve—

(a) the Dáil shall meet every Tuesday at 2 p.m.; and every Wednesday, Thursday and every first Friday of a month at 10.30 a.m., and

(b) the proceedings on any business under consideration shall be interrupted (or if the Dáil be in Committee, progress shall be reported and leave asked to sit again) and the Dáil shall adjourn—

(i) every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 p.m.,

(ii) every Thursday at 5.45 p.m., and

(iii) on the first Friday of each month at 1.30 p.m.:

Provided that if an Order shall have been made under Standing Order 22, that the hour at which business is to be interrupted be other than that specified in this paragraph, the provisions of this Standing Order with such substitution shall otherwise apply.

(2) If, at the time appointed for the interruption of business as provided in paragraph (1)(b) of this Standing Order, the closure is moved or proceedings under the closure are in progress, the Ceann Comhairle will not effect such interruption until the proceedings under the closure, and on any such further motion as is specified in the Standing Order as to closure [S.O. 66] have been completed.

(3) If, at the time appointed for the interruption of business as aforesaid,

(a) a division is in progress or has been ordered to be taken, or

(b) the debate on an item of business has concluded,

the interruption shall not take place until after the decision has been declared from the Chair. If the decision is on an amendment, or on an amendment to the amendment, after such declaration the Ceann Comhairle shall proceed to put in proper sequence the Questions necessary to bring proceedings to a conclusion.';

(d)

In Standing Order 26—

(a) in paragraph (2)(a), after 'by announcement', the insertion of 'on Tuesdays, immediately after Questions to the Taoiseach, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays, immediately after Leaders' Questions,',

(b) the deletion of paragraph (2)(b), and

(c) in paragraph (3), before ', the Ceann Comhairle' the insertion of ', and subject to proceedings comprehended by paragraph (2) and this paragraph not exceeding 30 minutes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 20 minutes on Thursdays';

(e)

In Standing Order 27—

(a) in paragraph (a), the substitution of 'Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays' for 'Tuesdays and Wednesdays',

(b) the addition of the following paragraph:

'(d) On Thursdays the provisions of this Standing Order shall apply with the substitution of "Tánaiste" for "Taoiseach".';

(f)

The insertion of the following new Standing Order before Standing Order 28:

'27A.(1) Any member may give notice in writing, not later than 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday on which the Dáil meets, of a matter which he or she wishes to bring forward on that day for consideration as a topical issue.

(2) The Ceann Comhairle shall select a maximum of four such matters on each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: Provided that the matters selected must relate to public affairs connected with a Department of State or to matters of administration for which a member of the Government or Minister of State is officially responsible (including bodies under the aegis of a Department of State in respect of Government policy).

(3) Matters selected by the Ceann Comhairle shall be considered—

(a) on Tuesdays, immediately after the Order of Business,

(b) on Wednesdays, immediately after Questions to a member or members of the Government, and

(c) on Thursdays, immediately before Questions to a member or members of the Government.

(4) Consideration of each topical issue shall consist of—

(a) a statement by the member who has given notice which shall not exceed 4 minutes,

(b) a statement in reply by a member of the Government or Minister of State which shall not exceed 4 minutes,

(c) a further statement by the member who has given notice which shall not exceed 2 minutes, and

(d) a concluding statement by the member of the Government or Minister of State concerned which shall not exceed 2 minutes:

Provided that the total time allowed for consideration of topical issues on any day shall not exceed 48 minutes: Provided further that the Dáil shall not divide on any matter arising out of such consideration.

(5) A list of the matters in respect of which notice has been given under this Standing Order and the name of the member concerned in each case shall be printed in the Official Report of the Debates.

(6) The Ceann Comhairle shall have regard to requests made pursuant to Standing Order 40A(7) in selecting matters in accordance with this Standing Order.';

(g)

In Standing Order 28—

(a) the substitution of 'the ordinary routine of business in the Dáil on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays shall be as follows' for 'the ordinary routine of business in the Dáil shall be as follows',

(b) the substitution of 'Other than when the Dáil meets to consider business comprehended by Standing Order 117A, the ordinary routine of business in Private Members' time [S.O. 117] shall be as follows' for 'The ordinary routine of business in Private Members' time [S.O. 117] shall be as follows', and

(c) the addition of the following:

'When the Dáil meets on the first Friday of a month to consider business comprehended by Standing Order 117A, business shall be confined to a Bill selected in accordance with that Standing Order.';

(h)

In Standing Order 32, the substitution of the following for paragraphs (2) and (3):

'(2) Where the Ceann Comhairle considers the motion to relate to a specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration (and to otherwise be one contemplated by this Standing Order), the member shall be called upon by the Ceann Comhairle immediately before the Order of Business, whereupon the member shall rise in his or her place and shall read the notice given but may not elaborate thereon.

(3) Where the requirements of this Standing Order have been otherwise complied with, the Ceann Comhairle shall thereupon desire the members who support the request to rise in their places. If not less than twelve members rise accordingly, the Ceann Comhairle shall give leave to make the motion, which shall be moved at 7.30 p.m. on a Tuesday or Wednesday or 3.30 p.m. on a Thursday, or at such hour on the day on which the request is made as the Dáil may appoint.';

(i)

In Standing Order 35—

(a) in paragraph (3), the substitution of 'Standing Order 27A' for 'Standing Order 21', and

(b) In paragraph (4), the substitution of 'Standing Order 27A' for 'Standing Order 21';

(j)

In Standing Order 36—

(a) the substitution of the following for subparagraph (1)(a):

'(a) Questions for oral answer to the Taoiseach may be taken for one hour after Leaders' Questions on Tuesdays.',

(b) the substitution of the following for subparagraph (1)(b):

'(b) Questions for oral answer to other members of the Government may be taken—

(i) from 2 p.m. to 3.15 p.m. on Tuesdays,

(ii) from 2.30 p.m. to 3.45 p.m. on Wednesdays, and

(iii) from 4.30 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. on Thursdays:';

and

(c) the substitution of the following for paragraph (2):

'(2)

The time allowed for Questions nominated for priority for any one day shall not exceed thirty minutes.';

(k)

In Standing Order 37, the substitution of the following for paragraph (1):

'(1) Questions addressed to the Taoiseach shall be placed on the Order Paper before Questions to other members of the Government to be asked on the same day. Any Question to the Taoiseach which is not disposed of shall be placed on the Order Paper for the next day on which the Taoiseach is to answer Questions before Questions to the Taoiseach to be asked on that day: save that a Question to be answered by the Taoiseach may be placed before Questions to be answered by a Minister of State at his or her Department.';

(l)

The insertion of the following new Standing Order before Standing Order 41:

'40A. (1) A member of the Government shall, in replying to a Question asked on notice, address each and every request for information contained therein.

(2) A member who is of the opinion that, in relation to a Question put down by him or her, the member of the Government concerned has failed to comply with paragraph (1) may communicate such opinion in writing to the Ceann Comhairle not later than two days after the Question has been answered, not reckoning a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, identifying the specific request or requests for information not addressed in the reply and requesting that the provisions of this Standing Order be applied in order to remedy such failure.

(3) If and to the extent that he or she agrees with the opinion of the member concerned, the Ceann Comhairle shall communicate his or her opinion that there has been a failure to comply with the provisions of paragraph (1) in writing to the member of the Government concerned.

(4) A member of the Government who has been advised in writing that the Ceann Comhairle is of opinion that there has been a failure to comply with the provisions of paragraph (1) shall, not later than 12.30 p.m. on the day following the communication of such opinion, furnish to the Ceann Comhairle a response in writing to each of the requests for information in relation to which there has been, in the opinion of the Ceann Comhairle, a failure to comply with paragraph (1).

(5) Each and every response received pursuant to paragraph (4) shall be included in or otherwise be associated with the Official Report of the Debates to which it relates.

(6) A Question in relation to which the Ceann Comhairle has formed the opinion that the member of the Government concerned has failed to comply with paragraph (1) shall not be taken into account for the purposes of paragraphs (3) or (4) of Standing Order 35.

(7) A member who is of the opinion that a response furnished by a member of the Government in accordance with paragraph (4) has failed to comply with paragraph (1) may communicate such opinion in writing to the Ceann Comhairle not later than two days after the response has been furnished to the Ceann Comhairle, not reckoning a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, identifying the specific request or requests for information not addressed in the response and requesting that the matter be selected for consideration as a topical issue. [See S.O. 27A]';

(m)

In Standing Order 68, paragraph (2), the insertion of 'unless otherwise provided for in Standing Orders and' after 'a division shall,';

(n)

The substitution of the following for Standing Order 117:

'117.(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this Standing Order—

(a) Government business or Private business, as the case may be, shall be interrupted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 7.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to take private members' business: Provided that, where leave has been given to make a motion under Standing Order 32, such motion shall have priority, and

(b) the Order Paper shall otherwise be confined—

(i) on Thursdays, to Questions, Private business and Government business, and

(ii) on the first Friday of every month, to one Bill initiated by a private member and selected for consideration pursuant to Standing Order 117A.

(2) A member of the Government may move, without notice, at the commencement of public business on any Tuesday or Wednesday that, on that day or during the period specified in the motion, specified Government business or Private business, as the case may be, shall not be interrupted if under consideration at the time fixed for taking private members' business. Such motion shall be decided without amendment.';

(o)

The insertion of the following new Standing Order before Standing Order 118:

'117A.(1) Any member other than a member of the Government or Minister of State may give notice that he or she wishes to bring forward for consideration, on the first Friday of the month following, a Bill that has been initiated by him or her and that is listed on the Order Paper at Second Stage or order for Second Stage: Provided that such notice shall be received by the Clerk not later than 11 a.m. on the second preceding Friday.

(2) Where notice from more than one member has been received, the Bill to be considered on the next first Friday shall be determined by lot.

(3) A Bill to be considered on the first Friday of the month pursuant to this Standing Order shall be set down for Second Stage and the time allowed for the debate on the motion for second reading shall not exceed a period of three hours in the aggregate.

(4) The Ceann Comhairle shall, where a division has been demanded at such sitting, postpone the taking of such division until immediately after the Order of Business on the next day on which the Dáil shall sit.';

and

(p)

In Standing Order 121, paragraph (2), the substitution of 'The time allowed for the debate on the motion for the second reading of a Bill initiated by a private member, other than a Bill to be considered on the first Friday of a month [See S.O. 117A], shall not exceed a period of six hours in the aggregate.' for 'The time allowed for the debate on the motion for the Second Stage of a Bill initiated by a private member shall not exceed a period of six hours in the aggregate.'."

I wish to share time with Deputy Joe Carey.

See this speech in context