Dáil debates
Friday, 9 December 2011
Order of Business
10:30 am
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Order of Business is No. 9, motion re appointment of members of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, back from committee; and No. a4, Social Welfare Bill 2011 - Second Stage (Resumed) and Subsequent Stages.
It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 9 shall be decided without debate and that the following arrangements will apply in respect of No. a4: the proceedings on the resumed Second Stage will, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 1.30 p.m.; the proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages will commence immediately at the conclusion of Second Stage and, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 3.30 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and shall, in respect of amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Social Protection.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are two proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 9 agreed to?
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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My party will not agree, as there is no motion to reconvene the Dáil on Monday to allow time to discuss the detail and serious implications of what is being put to the people.
Tom Barry (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I am surprised the Deputy does not want it to take place on Sunday.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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It is remarkable that we must rely on sources elsewhere in Europe to access this information which we have not had a chance to debate.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please, Deputy. This is a straightforward proposal on the arrangements for taking No. 9 solely. We cannot stray into other areas.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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We are objecting. I am genuinely shocked that there is nothing on the page-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Deputy, please, resume his seat?
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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How can the Government have it said in Europe that the people have agreed to a set of proposals that gave away our sovereignty, when there has not even been a discussion on these measures in the House? It is outrageous.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should resume his seat.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Prime Minister Cameron is on Deputy Mac Lochlainn's side.
Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am surprised Deputy McDonald is not doing the running on this proposal.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is not true that the issue of the European summit has not been discussed. We had a three hour debate on it yesterday.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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But not on the measures as they affect the people.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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In addition, a new procedure saw the Taoiseach attend the House last week to set out what was to be discussed by the European Council. We have made arrangements for him to revert to the House when it reconvenes next week to give a report on what was discussed at the European summit.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. a4 agreed to?
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Not agreed.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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No. More and more issues are arising with the Social Welfare Bill and it has become apparent the disregard of home help income is to be eliminated.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot discuss the contents of the Bill.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There are issues with family income supplement, disability allowances and community employment schemes. No doubt the Government will be told that, for some arbitrary reason, the Dáil must pass the Bill today. It will affect people's lives next year. Some will lose hundreds of euro thanks to the decisions that will be rammed through the House today. I received an e-mail from a woman this morning-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will not mind e-mails for the moment.
Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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We will hear about it at our clinics tomorrow.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We can hear about the e-mail when we debate the Bill, but I am sure it has nothing to do with the arrangements for the taking of Second and Subsequent Stages.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It is about the arrangements.
Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is about the manner in which the Bill is being rammed through the House.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will Deputy Ó Cuív stick to the proposal, please?
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The e-mail is from a woman who will lose €330 a month because she is a carer and her husband is in receipt of family income supplement.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am not interested in e-mails other than those which relate to this issue.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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From the bottom of my heart, I ask the Tánaiste to put politics aside, allow Second Stage to continue until 3.30 p.m. and a detailed debate to take place next week on the Bill's serious provisions which will hurt people badly. The Government should give itself time to reflect on and amend some of the proposals made. Some of the measures proposed will not save significant amounts of money. It is impossible-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is only entitled to give a short explanation as to why he is not agreeing to the allocation of time motion. Other Deputies wish to contribute.
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It is like a Second Stage speech.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I am trying to impress on the Tánaiste how vital it is that we all stand back, to reflect on this issue-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will do that in one moment.
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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-----and debate it in more detail next week having had the weekend to consider it-----
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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What about the way the Deputy signed the bank bailout by telephone in the middle of the night?
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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-----and make necessary changes to proposals that will only save a small amount of money but which will hurt people badly. The Tánaiste knows this to be the case, given the reaction to the budget.
Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I object to the rushed passage of the Bill which will cut the contributory State pension and allowances for lone parents.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot discuss the contents of the Bill. This is purely a technical motion.
Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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We have not even dealt with the manner in which the Government proposes to devastate community employment schemes across the State. Job creation, how are you? I object to the manner in which the Bill is being processed through the House and the indecent haste with which the Government is prepared to butcher €800 million from the social welfare bill.
Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is not €800 million; it is €455 million.
Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is astonishing that the Labour Party and the Tánaiste as its leader are standing over such cuts.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We can discuss all of these matters during the debate.
Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is bad enough, but the Government is also insisting on the Bill being rushed through the Dáil.
Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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What about Northern Ireland?
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Why does Fine Gael not stand for election there, too?
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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That is a good point.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Higgins to discuss what is a technical issue.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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I oppose the guillotining of the debate on the Social Welfare Bill.
This time last year, as the Minister for Finance, Deputy Lenihan, unveiled his budget, screams of anguish reverberated through the corridors of Leinster House. The Labour Party's finance spokesman Deputy Burton was feeling the pain of the poor, the lone parents and, especially, the women of Ireland.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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I dare say the Minister must be aware people with children took the biggest cuts this year and last year.
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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She is not even here.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is straying. We do not want any quotations from last year.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Let us remember child benefit is paid almost universally to women. I suppose that is a comment on how few women are Members of this House and what little power women exercise compared to bankers.
This day, in an extraordinary transformation, the same Deputy Burton is now the tormentor of the women and children of Ireland.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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This is nothing to do with the technical motion before the House.
Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I wonder is the Minister in Deputy Higgins's constituency.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy not to abuse this. I am anxious for him to have his say but not on a technical motion. He can say all these things when we get into the debate.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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The nub of it is that mná na hÉireann and leanaí na hÉireann are bewildered by this massive about-face and need an explanation.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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About the fact we are finishing at 3.30 p.m.?
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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We need, therefore, far more time for Deputy Burton, now Minister for - allegedly - Social Protection, to come into the Dáil and explain the extraordinary transformation and to do so section by section. She must think that along with her pain, a general anaesthetic should be administered to the same women and children whose state she bewailed last year.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy has made his point about the lack of time. He must resume his seat.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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The Tánaiste, on behalf of the Labour Party, must explain the absolute about-face in regard to these issues.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Yes, when we get to the debate.
Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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A few clinics tomorrow back in the constituencies.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Therefore, we need far more time for the Minister and the Tánaiste on behalf of the Labour Party to explain why now they are carrying out these savage cuts on behalf of the same bankers.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is looking for time and I will ask the Tánaiste about that in a moment. I am sure when I call Deputy Boyd Barrett that he will understand what he is entitled to say.
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The Ceann Comhairle knows I understand.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is a Friday so give us all a break.
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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This is a serious issue and the Tánaiste knows it. People are reeling with shock; lone parents, low income families and the elderly are reeling from the attacks meted out in this Bill. The very least they deserve is that the full implications of the attacks on their living standings are explained, particularly the Government's commitment to labour activation measures designed to get people back to work, when it is absolutely clear that, particularly for lone parents, these measures are a direct disincentive to work.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We can discuss that when we get to the section.
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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They will drive lone parents out of work and back into poverty.
These serious implications deserve to be discussed in detail and not rammed through in this way by a Government that promised a new type of politics and a new type of openness and transparency. These austerity measures are being rammed through in an unfair and undemocratic way.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy has made his point.
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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There will be 1,000 people outside the gates of Dáil Éireann appealing for a proper debate and a reversal of these cuts. Will the Tánaiste at least allow for a proper discussion?
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy has made his point. He can resume his seat and we will ask the Tánaiste to explain the arrangements.
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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It will take some explaining.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government is providing more time for the debate on the Social Welfare Bill. There is 50% more time being provided for the debate on the Social Welfare Bill this year than was provided last year.
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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There are 50% more cuts.
Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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There are more cuts targeted at the vulnerable.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Deputies cannot come in here today and argue for more time when yesterday they voted against the extra day's sitting the Government is providing for this Bill, today's sitting. This is the extra day's sitting.
Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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What is the Tánaiste on?
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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That is nonsense.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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A huge amount of time is being provided for the debate. The Bill will go to the Seanad next week and if the Seanad makes amendments, it will come back into the Dáil and there is plenty of time. I ask Members for accuracy in the debate.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is not true, Deputy McDonald, that the Government is making €800 million of cuts in social welfare.
Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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In a full year it is.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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In fact, it is €190 million less than was proposed by Fianna Fáil.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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There are €811 million of cuts in a full year.
Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It was actually fairer last time round.
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Mr. Angry is not exactly Mr. Accuracy.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Secondly, it is not true that the Government is closing down community employment schemes.
Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is just closing the doors.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government is providing additional money for labour activation measures.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Not for community employment schemes; it is slashing the training budget.
Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Wait until a few clinics tomorrow.
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Not for lone parents. The money is being taken from lone parents.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The amount of money being provided for employment support measures through the Department of Social Protection in 2012 is almost €100 million more than was provided last year.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thought this was a technical issue about the sitting?
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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A little bit of accuracy and honesty from the Opposition benches would contribute to the debate.
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The Tánaiste should read the expenditure cuts outlined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. He has obviously not read them.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I have no proposal from the Opposition for the amendment of the times provided here and, therefore, I wish to put the proposal.
11:00 am
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste has, effectively, misrepresented the position of the Fianna Fáil Party on today's sitting, which we did not vote against yesterday.
Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Go back to Clonmel and close the barracks.
Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is former Senator Donie Cassidy's man.
Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am my own man. I was elected in my own right and I am not on the crest of a wave like the Deputy.
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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We would welcome deferral of Committee Stage to next week to give Members an opportunity to consider the many insidious proposals contained in the Social Welfare Bill 2011. If the Tánaiste is not prepared-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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What is the Deputy seeking?
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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As the Tánaiste is not prepared to accede to our request for the allocation of further time, as a Whip, under Standing Order 69, I propose that the vote be taken by other than electronic means.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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As a Whip, the Deputy Ó Fearghaíl is, under Standing Order 69, entitled to call for a vote through the lobbies.
The Dail Divided:
For the motion: 77 (James Bannon, Tom Barry, Pat Breen, Tommy Broughan, Richard Bruton, Joan Burton, Ray Butler, Jerry Buttimer, Catherine Byrne, Eric Byrne, Joe Carey, Áine Collins, Michael Conaghan, Seán Conlan, Paul Connaughton, Ciara Conway, Noel Coonan, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Michael Creed, Jim Daly, Jimmy Deenihan, Pat Deering, Regina Doherty, Paschal Donohoe, Robert Dowds, Bernard Durkan, Damien English, Frank Feighan, Anne Ferris, Peter Fitzpatrick, Charles Flanagan, Eamon Gilmore, Brendan Griffin, Dominic Hannigan, Brian Hayes, Tom Hayes, Martin Heydon, Brendan Howlin, Heather Humphreys, Kevin Humphreys, Colm Keaveney, Paul Kehoe, Alan Kelly, Seán Kenny, Seán Kyne, Anthony Lawlor, John Lyons, Shane McEntee, Nicky McFadden, Dinny McGinley, Joe McHugh, Tony McLoughlin, Michael McNamara, Peter Mathews, Mary Mitchell O'Connor, Olivia Mitchell, Michelle Mulherin, Eoghan Murphy, Gerald Nash, Dan Neville, Derek Nolan, Michael Noonan, Patrick Nulty, Kieran O'Donnell, Patrick O'Donovan, John O'Mahony, Ann Phelan, Ruairi Quinn, James Reilly, Michael Ring, Brendan Ryan, Seán Sherlock, Róisín Shortall, Emmet Stagg, Joanna Tuffy, Jack Wall, Alex White)
Against the motion: 36 (Richard Boyd Barrett, John Browne, Dara Calleary, Joan Collins, Michael Colreavy, Barry Cowen, Seán Crowe, Clare Daly, Timmy Dooley, Dessie Ellis, Martin Ferris, Tom Fleming, Noel Grealish, John Halligan, Séamus Healy, Michael Healy-Rae, Joe Higgins, Billy Kelleher, Michael Kitt, Mary Lou McDonald, Finian McGrath, Mattie McGrath, Sandra McLellan, Michael Moynihan, Catherine Murphy, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Éamon Ó Cuív, Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Jonathan O'Brien, Maureen O'Sullivan, Thomas Pringle, Brendan Smith, Peadar Tóibín, Robert Troy, Mick Wallace)
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Emmet Stagg and Paul Kehoe; Níl, Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Seán Ó Fearghaíl.
Question again declared carried.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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On the Order of Business-----
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry, the Order of Business is out of time. We are 17 minutes and 46 seconds over the time.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is the problem.
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Deputies opposite agreed to it.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste might order the business to provide a little additional time.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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As the man says, I only obey the rules.
Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is bludgeoning the Parliament to death with its massive majority.
Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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I seek a conversation about next week's business.
Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry, we are out of time and I cannot do anything about it. You will have to agree this between the Whips.
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will discuss it with the Deputy in a few minutes.
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Chief Whip is given a lot of time in here to talk.