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

On my own behalf and on behalf of my party, I extend our deepest sympathies to the entire McGrotty family, particularly to Louise on the loss of her partner, Seán, her sons, Mark and Evan, her mother, Ruth, and her sister, Jodie Lee. An unspeakable tragedy and trauma has befallen the family. This has been very eloquently articulated by the local parish priest, Fr. Paddy O'Kane, in recent days. The nation is truly shocked at the scale of this tragedy and its impact on the wider community in Donegal and Derry. Of course our deepest sympathies go to the families as well.

The unfolding situation in Brussels represents an attack on all of us and on the institutions we hold dear. Again, I send our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have already lost their lives and those who have been severely injured. Brussels is the centre of European democracy and the European institutions. These attacks strike at the very heart of the European people, the European Union and the whole sense of solidarity and community that we have consistently embraced in this country. They represent another appalling scaling up of the attack on people across the European Union and indeed further afield.

While we have no difficulty with the Taoiseach's proposals for amending Standing Orders, as a precedent we think there should be proper co-ordination and consultation with others in advance of such amendments to Standing Orders. I think the timeline for some Deputies who are speaking on housing will be very tight, particularly at the end of the debate. Time has been set aside for leaders and various spokespersons, but the timeline for the general debate is extremely tight. The last I heard was that two or three speakers will be sharing five-minute slots. This is hardly the best way to go about our business. The last day we looked at and put forward the idea that we were open to an extra day's sitting this week, if necessary, to accommodate other debate. We have no difficulty with the proposal that has been put before us, but we think as a precedent for how the Dáil should operate there should be more meaningful consultation in advance.

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