Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We object to the Order of Business. This Government promised to end the use of guillotines but we have a flurry of guillotines in today's order. Our Whip objected to this at the Whips' meeting last evening. Many of these issues do not need a guillotine and we can debate them appropriately, like adults. For example, yesterday the Finance Bill went through its Remaining Stages in the House and there was to be a guillotine. That was discussed and it was agreed there was no need for a guillotine. It went through slightly after the time at which the guillotine was meant to take effect. There is no need for this approach and we have little enough accountability in this House as it is. Some of these issues warrant more time but others might not, so the time afforded will be adequate. The matters should be dealt with by agreement rather than by ramming through a series of guillotines in a manner which the Government promised would never happen.

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