Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. By way of response to the points raised by Deputies Adams, Pringle and Paul Murphy, there are a couple of matters to take into account. As we meet today, we are bound by the current Standing Orders of the House. Tomorrow, we will convene the first meeting of the Dáil reform committee. Having read all 22 submissions, it appears that there is a substantial amount of commonality in the proposals that Members are making for change. I hope that, at our first meeting on Wednesday, we will quickly agree a number of substantial reforms that could be brought to the House for agreement on 6 April but as we meet today, we are bound by the current Standing Orders. The idea that they could be suspended is not possible under the existing Standing Orders, specifically Standing Order 200(3), which precludes a Member other than during Private Members' business from setting aside Standing Orders. We must proceed with the business that is before us and agree to it or disagree with it, whichever the case may be.

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