Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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It is proposed to take No. 16, Supplementary Estimate for Public Services, Votes 25 and 39 (back from committee); No. 5, Social Welfare Bill 2012 - Committee and Remaining Stages (resumed); No. a1, Credit Union Bill 2012 - Amendments from the Seanad; and No. 6, Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2012 - Order for Second Stage and Second and Subsequent Stages.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Oral Questions; No. 16 shall be decided without debate, Votes 25 and 39 shall be moved together and shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith; Committee and Remaining Stages of No. 5 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 2 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Social Protection, and the sitting thereupon shall be suspended until 3 p.m.; the proceedings on No. a1 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 6.30 p.m. and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments to the Seanad amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Finance; Second and Subsequent Stages of No. 6 shall be taken today and the following arrangements shall apply: the proceedings on the Second Stage shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes; the opening speeches of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group, who shall be called upon in that order and who may share their time, shall not exceed 10 minutes in each case; the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes, and such Members may share their time; and a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; the proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice and Equality; and the Dáil shall sit tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. and shall adjourn not later than 6 p.m., and at 10.30 a.m. on that day there shall be an Order of Business within the meaning of Standing Order 26, subject to the proceedings comprehended by paragraph 2 and 3 of that Standing Order, not exceeding 20 minutes.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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There are six proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Oral Questions agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 16, Supplementary Estimate for Public Services, Votes 25 and 39 (back from committee) without debate agreed to?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Not agreed. I understand this proposal relates to the Supplementary Estimate for health. We were informed last week that the Government proposes to make, in a full year, over €1 billion in further cuts to the health service. None of what is involved in this regard has been set out in any detail. There is speculation in today's newspapers about cancellation of routine surgeries. We can only read about these matters in the media. It is most unacceptable that a Supplementary Estimate relating to health should be put through on the nod without scrutiny or debate, particularly in circumstances in which the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, and the Government have failed spectacularly to set out exactly how they intend to make the savings that are required.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I agree 100% with Deputy McDonald. We made the point last week that €1 billion worth of Supplementary Estimates have been put through the House with no discussion during plenary session. It is evident that last year's health Estimate was both fraudulent and flawed.

Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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At least it was not corrupt.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It was entirely corrupt.

Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)
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It was not fraudulent.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, it was fraudulent.

Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)
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It is great to hear the brown envelope boys informing us about corruption.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Spring had better suck it up, because that is what happened.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The point is that last year's health Estimate contained figures which no one had any intention of ever realising. Those figures related to drug pricing, the income from private health insurance - which has disappeared from this year's budget - and agency nursing, in respect of which a 50% cut was proposed. They were included in last year's health Estimate but nothing was done until August when cuts were made in respect of personal assistant services for people in independent living and savage cuts were introduced in the context of home help hours.

Nothing was done until August when there were cuts to the provision for personal assistants, which enables people with disabilities to live independently, and savage cuts to home help hours. These cuts were made because of the fraudulent nature of the health Estimates. That is the reason the Supplementary Estimate is required and there is a need for a debate. I, therefore, ask the Tánaiste to provide the House with an opportunity to have a meaningful debate on the health Estimate, in particular.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I refer to the budget overruns and the extra cuts required as a result a few months ago. They included very significant cuts to home help hours and to the provision for personal assistants for those with disabilities. We do not know the details of further cuts amounting to €780 million due to be made as part of the budget. The Government has put a spin on the fact that extra money is being provided, while covering over the fact that more than €750 million will be taken from the health budget. At the very least, given the great anxiety caused as a result of making the extra cuts amounting to €130 million, we need to scrutinise the Supplementary Estimates in order that we understand the implications they will have in the delivery of health services.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I agree that the Estimates should be scrutinised. They were referred to a committee which considered them. There was ample opportunity at the committee for Members of the House to scrutinise them.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I was at that committee and there was very little time. It was not the Chairman's fault, but there were no answers given.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I understand there was not even a vote on the Estimates at the committee. If Members do not do their work at the committee which is the place in which the Estimates are examined-----

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I was at that committee.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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-----there is not much point in grandstanding here on them when the matter is brought before the House. The Estimates were agreed to at the committee without a vote.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is an absolute disgrace. The Tánaiste is misleading the Chamber about what happened when the Estimates were discussed in the committee room. I was there, as were other Members. The Tánaiste refuses to have a debate on the Estimates.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Deputy, please, resume his seat? I must put the question.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. 5, Committee and Remaining Stages of the Social Welfare Bill 2012, agreed to?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not agreed. We oppose the proposal as it makes a farce of the House. It is now almost 11.30 a.m., yet the proposal is to ram through and guillotine Committee and Remaining Stages of the Social Welfare Bill by 2.30 p.m. This allows but two and a half hours for meaningful discussion on the cut to the respite care grant, which is having a heavy impact, the cut to child benefit and the removal of the PRSI exemption. With regard to the removal of the PRSI exemption, a person earning €25,000 will be hit by a 36% increase while a person on €175,000 will be hit by a 3% increase. How can that be fair? We will have no chance to discuss that at all. There will be no chance to discuss the cuts to the jobseeker's benefit, lone parent allowance and farm assist payment. The cut to the latter benefit is very serious for many farmers on the farm assist scheme across the country.

My point is that all of these measures have not yet been discussed on Committee Stage.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The proposal before the House is that every one of these items should be subject to meaningful discussion. These are the issues about which people outside the House are most concerned right now. They are the issues on which Labour Party and Fine Gael Deputies have been suggesting counter-proposals and alternatives in the media.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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They were caused by Fianna Fáil.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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They were telling their Ministers they wanted the proposed measures changed in favour of alternatives. Nobody is getting an opportunity in this House to discuss the measures.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I ask for brief contributions.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Let me make this point, because it goes to the heart of what this House is meant to be about.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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If the Deputy had a heart-----

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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If Deputy Durkan had a head, he would be dangerous.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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People came into government saying there would be a democratic revolution, no less. That is what the Tánaiste said.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Could we have order? Only brief contributions are allowed. We are not discussing the detail. I ask Deputy Martin to conclude.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The reason this is happening is that the Government does not want a discussion on these items.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Nor does Deputy Martin.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It does not want the Dáil to have any meaningful discussion, cut by cut. It wants to suppress dissent in its own ranks and ram the legislation through as quickly as it possibly can without regard to the public, who would actually like to hear from Deputies on the cuts. The public will not get that chance.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Let us have order, please. I call Deputy Mary Lou McDonald.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The stage is Deputy McDonald's.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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We, too, object to the guillotining of this very important debate. It is obviously the tactic of the Government to rush these matters through the Dáil to spare the blushes of the Labour Party, in particular, and those of Fine Gael members with a conscience who might feel some discomfort. It is unacceptable-----

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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-----that cuts to carers, parents and children would be rushed through in such a glib and a cynical fashion. That is what the Members opposite all stand accused of now - complete and utter cynicism. I know the Tánaiste is not going to change his mind on the guillotining of the debate because God forbid some of his people, in particular, might think better of what they are about to do. He should allow a full and frank debate on this. These cuts will hurt people and damage their standard of living and their lives. It is only two weeks to Christmas and this is the Christmas gift from this awful Government-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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You have cancelled Christmas.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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-----to carers, women and mothers.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Deputy. I call Deputy Boyd Barrett.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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We object to the guillotining of the debate and ask the Tánaiste to reconsider it.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Earlier the Tánaiste rightly or wrongly ridiculed some of the Opposition for not fully scrutinising the supplementary health budget at the health committee, and I was not at the health committee, and now-----

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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You did not call for a vote.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Deputy have to call a vote to close hospitals or do you understand anything? You are a pity.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Billy was caught napping.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please. Deputies, could we have less cross-fire and allow Deputy Boyd Barrett to proceed?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. In his comments criticising the Opposition for the points they made, the Tánaiste said Deputies should do their job in scrutinising legislation and yet he is denying Deputies in this House the opportunity to scrutinise fully this legislation. That is as clear as day.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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He has done a U-turn.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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With the time the Tánaiste has allowed for the debate and the guillotine that will be imposed on it, we simply will not get to discuss some of the most substantive issues-----

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is wasting time.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----in this Bill that will affect the lives of struggling families, families affected by disability, children and women. That is an affront to democracy. It is an affront to the Tánaiste's promises for a new type of politics. It gives an opportunity, as we saw last night, for the Minister to filibuster on less important issues, to talk down the clock in order that we do not get to the substantial issues. The Minister, Deputy Hayes, can smile-----

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I am look at the clock. It is the Deputy's clock.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----wryly all he likes, the truth is-----

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is talking down the clock.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----from the moment the Government imposed the guillotine on the debate it became impossible to have a serious debate on the amendments that have been put forward-----

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy does not want a serious debate.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----which could obviate the need to impose these brutal cuts.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We have proposed alternative PRSI measures, fair measures, which would take the burden off people on low and middle incomes, off the unemployed and so on.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Keep filibustering.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Boyd Barrett, we are not debating the Bill now.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I ask the Tánaiste to lift the guillotine on the debate and allow it to take place.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I call the Tánaiste to reply.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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We provided additional time yesterday but the Opposition used it up in political gamesmanship. We provided an additional sitting on Friday last and there were not enough Opposition speakers to keep it going.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please. Allow the Tánaiste to conclude.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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We provided for an additional day's sitting this week on Monday and it had to be cancelled because the Opposition could not fulfil it.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is irrelevant. That is a red herring.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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That is outrageous.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There was a period of time yesterday evening in the course of the debate when there was no Fianna Fáil Member in the House.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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We took up our allocation.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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We took up our entire allocation.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Members opposite should not be looking for looking for additional time-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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That is ráiméis.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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-----when they cannot fulfil the obligation. This is great for a grandstand on the Order of Business.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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There is no grandstanding------

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Opposition keeps look for extra time and it does not fulfil it.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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That is outrageous. The Tánaiste should be ashamed of himself. He calls himself a democrat.

A Deputy:

You were not here.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Where was the Deputy on Friday? Where was he on Monday?

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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The Tánaiste should be ashamed of himself.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please. The Tánaiste to conclude.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I am responding to the issues that were raised.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Ask the troika can we have time for the debate.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Opposition keeps asking for additional time in the House and when we provide additional time the Opposition does not come in and use it.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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You just made a big fuss about the health Estimate and you did not even vote on it at committee.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On a point of Order-----

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I am about to put the question.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On a point of order-----

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I did not see the Deputy.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste has seriously misled the House in what will go down-----

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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That is not a point of order.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----as one of the most cynical, dishonest remarks he has made. Our party participated fully in the debate last evening. What everybody in this House wants is more time to discuss the Social Welfare Bill. Do not throw in any more red herrings or comments about other debates last Friday or Monday. It is dishonest and cynical and the Tánaiste's credibility is in shreds given the contempt in which he is holding and treating this House. It is contemptuous.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you Deputy.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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With all that has gone on here about democratic reform, the Tánaiste meant nothing of it.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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What an actor.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It has been politically fraudulent behaviour by the Tánaiste for the last couple of years. He is a political fraud.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Why was the Deputy not like that with Bertie-----

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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You closed Roscommon Hospital.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Everything was "Yes Bertie, No Bertie"-----

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy stayed on the train and it had stopped.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. a1 agreed to?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No. The House is being treated in an appalling manner. There is no doubt what the dominant question of the week is. It should be the Social Welfare Bill. In a constructive manner, I suggest the Credit Union Bill and the Equal Status (Amendment) Bill be put back to next week. Having Question Time this evening at 8.45 p.m. is farcical.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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In the Deputy's time we would have finished today and gone away on our holidays.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Paul Kehoe would have been the first out the door back then.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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This shows the Government's arrogance.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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In Deputy Micheál Martin's time we would have finished today.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No. There was many a time when the Chief Whip was given extra hours for debates when he was in opposition.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Check the record.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Pity Deputy Micheál Martin did not spend as much time debating when he was in government.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We are fundamentally opposed to the entire schedule. Having Question Time at 8.45 p.m. is ridiculous. It is an appalling organisation of the business of the House. The only issue that matters for the people is the Social Welfare Bill. People would logically think the House would be given a reasonable timeframe to discuss the measures included in that Bill. That is all we are asking for on this side of the House. We are looking for a reasonable amount of time to discuss, amendment by amendment, the issues to do with child benefit.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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That matter was decided by the Whips.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Deputy stop acting the bully, as he does all the time here? He is at it all the time. He does not run the House.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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I am terrified.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I make a plea to the Tánaiste to reorganise the schedule to have the Social Welfare Bill as the main item for debate for the remainder of the day.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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We want to help Government backbenchers.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Mattie McGrath wants to raise a point of order.

Deputies:

Hurray.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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On a point of order, I think the Tánaiste has misinformed the House. I was here last Friday when the Government Whip said there would be no sitting on the following Monday. He accused the Opposition, but it was he who cancelled the sitting. The Tánaiste should correct the record.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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It is like an audition for a pantomime.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister would have the lead role in it.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The points have largely been made. However, I make one last appeal to the Tánaiste not to play the political games that he accuses us of playing when, in fact, he is playing them.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy plays them all the time.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It was the Government's decision to allocate 20 hours to the Savita Halappanavar debate.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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That side of the House needs a new Whip.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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That was not asked for on this side of the House. It is now apparent that it was a cynical manoeuvre on the Government's part to truncate the time allowed to debate the budget and the Social Welfare Bill.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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It was agreed to by the Whips, including the Deputy's Whip.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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All we are asking for is for the Government to adjust the Order of Business to allow sufficient time to discuss the specific provisions included in this Bill and the amendments submitted by the Opposition in order that we have an opportunity to scrutinise all aspects of the Bill as we are supposed and obliged to do in the House. The Government is preventing us from doing this.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I remind the House that we are discussing the proposal for dealing with the Credit Union Bill 2012.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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This is about the arrangements for dealing with the Credit Union Bill. It involves the amendments made to Bill in the Seanad in which seven amendments were made at the request of Fianna Fáil.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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And Sinn Féin.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The amendments are being brought before the House as we are required to do.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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We can deal with them next week.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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We will sit next Monday.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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We are happy to deal with them next week.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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They were the Opposition's ideas.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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It is the ordering of business with which we have an issue.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The debate arranged for last Friday and Monday was on the issue of the ABC report. Several weeks ago Members, including some of those who have just spoken, told us how important it was to have a reasoned debate on the matter. We complied with that request.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We wanted the Government to pass legislation on the matter.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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What we are getting is classic Fianna Fáil hypocrisy. This is the party that cut €936 from child benefit in its budgets, €850 from jobseeker's payments-----

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Why does the Tánaiste not extend the time allowed to discuss the budget?

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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If the news is so good, why can we not debate the budget?

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Ours was the party that increased benefits.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We are only debating this issue until 2 p.m.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Fianna Fáil took €850 from carer's allowance. It even cut the blind pension.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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We want a debate. Go back to North Korea and to your roots.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Tánaiste sit down?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Fianna Fáil Members are now making complaints about a budget that is fair and reasonable. Can I make one request of Sinn Féin? Please, do not come here and talk about conscience. It is in no position to talk about it.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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We have learned one thing anyway - big majorities make one arrogant.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. 6 agreed to?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No. We are not agreeing to anything today. The Tánaiste can play politics and all the games he wants, but the bottom line is that we have until 2 p.m. to debate the Social Welfare Bill. There is no urgency attaching to dealing with the Bill. We can deal with it next week. Instead of dealing with the Equal Status (Amendment) Bill, we could use the time allowed to discuss the Social Welfare Bill. It is that simple. The Tánaiste did not respond to that request in his last contribution.

There is an opportunity for the Tánaiste to respond in a meaningful and constructive way. Let us move the Equal Status (Amendment) Bill back until next week and deal with the Social Welfare Bill in its place.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There is an urgency with this Bill. There is a decision of the Court of Justice of the EU which means that this matter has to be put right by 21 December.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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By next week.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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What about next week?

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Bill is in the House today and will be in the Seanad next week.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is the proposal for the sitting and business of the Dáil tomorrow agreed to?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is not agreed. However, I am not going to call a vote on it so Deputies can relax. I want to make the point-----

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Can we have order, please?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I believe it would be better to order tomorrow's business tomorrow. We will have legislation coming forward in respect of the property tax, a tax on the family home, and as with the social welfare legislation we should not rush that through the House.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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We will have an Order of Business tomorrow.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Can we order the business then?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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We have to order the business today.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Why?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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In order to sit tomorrow. That is my understanding.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It will allow us to sit tomorrow. It is in accordance with Standing Orders.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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It will allow us to sit tomorrow. Is the proposal for the sitting and business of the Dáil tomorrow agreed to? Agreed.