Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Not agreed. Could I ask the Government Whip where the Taoiseach is? Surely at the commencement of the business of the House he should be proposing this motion, a motion that again reveals the utter contempt that the Government has for the Dáil and its proceedings. Is this going to be the pattern for the rest of this Dáil, suppressing legitimate debate and basic accountability? Why is there no normal Order of Business today? Why can we not have an Order of Business? Why must Leaders' Questions be pushed out to 7.35 p.m., with the Topical Issue debate and Oral Questions taken before them? Why must the Taoiseach's questions be suspended?

There is absolutely no accountability whatsoever today. There is no reason not to have a normal Order of Business, Taoiseach's questions and Leaders' Questions immediately after the debate on the confidence motion. Why can the Taoiseach not be here at 5.30 p.m. to answer questions that the leaders of other political parties, including me, put to him? On the very first day back for the Dáil, Leaders' Questions are being buried beyond the media cycle at approximately 7.50 p.m. with no rational explanation.

We have written to the Government Whip, but he has not responded or contacted our Whip in any substantive way. It is contemptuous. Why-----

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