Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

There is a real problem about the ordering of business here and I am looking for some advice. For example, the summit on 9 December will consider propositions from the European Commission. We should have a discussion before that meeting. I know I can be referred to the Whips and so forth, but I want some handle on this. There is a real issue with German parliamentarians being able to discuss this matter and we have not yet. We made a pre-budget submission that was almost fully costed - there were approximately three items for which the Department of Finance would not give us figures. We sent it to the Minister for Finance and to the Taoiseach. While we could debate this in Private Members' time, it would be far better if the Government allowed us and the other parties time to discuss these matters and we had a different approach to how a budget is put together. We should have prior discussions as opposed to discussions when it is a fait accompli. The Government has such a majority it can just tolerate and then go ahead with what it wants to do.

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