Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I listened carefully to everything that was said. I believe that saying that we respect other people's point of view is more than rhetoric. Everybody is entitled to a view on this. This House has a responsibility to elect an accountable Government with all speed. The notion that we can have fundamental policy debates that alter national policy without a Government or without knowing the composition of a Government reduces us to a debating Chamber as opposed to a policy decision-making Chamber. That is an important point to make.

I have two other points before I conclude. A point was made by Deputy Naughten and I wondered why he sidled down to me to ask me whether I had resigned or not. I did not realise it was to arm himself for his contribution. I noticed that in two of the debates, there is provision for the Labour Party to participate as a separate entity but in the third debate on housing, there is not. I do not know if there is a procedural reason the Labour Party should have a view separately from the Government on the European Council meeting and the Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting but not on housing. We need clarity on that. Perhaps in the circumstances, each political party or grouping would have provision to have a separate view on these matters - because clearly as parties we do - as well as an interim joint Government perspective on them.

As the Tánaiste indicated earlier, since many amendments have been proposed, I formally propose an amendment to No. 5cthat immediately after the first paragraph, which states "accordingly the only business to be transacted on that day shall be as follows", the first business would be a report to the House by the Taoiseach on the progress made on the formation of Government.

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