Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is proposed to take No. a10, motion re presentation and circulation of Revised Estimates 2014; No. 20, statements on pre-European Council meeting of 19 and 20 December; No. 5, Appropriation Bill 2013 - Order for Second Stage and Second and Subsequent Stages; No. 19, Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013 Seanad - Order for Report Stage and Report and Final Stages; No. a1, Pyrite Resolution Bill 2013 Seanad - Second Stage.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) in the event that a division is in progress at the time fixed for taking Private Members' business which shall be No. 42, Planning and Development (Transparency and Consumer Confidence) Bill 2013, the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. and Private Members’ business shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes; (2) No. a10 shall be decided without debate and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith; (3) No. 20 shall be taken immediately following No. a10 and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 65 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the statements shall be made by the Taoiseach and the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group who shall be called upon in that order and may share their time and shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (ii) a Minister or a Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; and the order shall resume thereafter with the Topical Issue debate; (4) No. 5 shall be taken today and Second and Subsequent Stages shall be decided without debate 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 Public Expenditure and Reform; (5) the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of No. 19 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 5 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; (6) the proceedings on Second Stage of No. a1 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7.30 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the opening speech of a Minister or a Minister of State and the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group who shall be called upon in that order and who may share time shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (ii) the speech of each other Member called upon who may share time shall not exceed ten minutes; (iii) a Minister or a Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; (7) the following business shall be taken tomorrow after Question Time: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013 Seanad - Second Stage on which the proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 2 p.m. tomorrow and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the opening speech of a Minister or a Minister of State and the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group who shall be called upon in that order and may share time shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (ii) the speech of each other Member called upon who may share time shall not exceed ten minutes; (iii) a Minister or a Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed ten minutes.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are seven proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members' business agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. a10 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 20 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 5 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 19 agreed to?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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It is not agreed.

Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Aengus agreed to it.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The debate on the Bill is being guillotined. The discussion on the issue that has been led for Sinn Féin by Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh shows that when there is co-operation, the House can work very well. Many of the details are highly technical. They are also very important for pensioners. Accordingly, more time is needed to discuss the Bill.

Will the Taoiseach allow for more time for these technical issues to be discussed and for the Opposition to work in co-operation with the Government to ensure pensioners' interests are protected?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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There is very little time left in this. I expect, in normal circumstances, that this would finish before the appointed time.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. a1 agreed to?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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No, it is not agreed. It is technically the same point. This Bill, dealing with the significant issue of pyrite, which is important to citizens, is being rushed through. There is no real reason for rushing this Bill through.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This is an issue of grave concern to people in houses affected by pyrite, and a resolution is needed. This matter has been around for a long time but no one did anything about it. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has introduced the Pyrite Resolution Bill to move the matter on and show the people affected that the Government is actually acting in their interest. It has all been said on so many other occasions. Accordingly, I do not believe Deputy Adams should be attempting to hold up legislation as important as this.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Gerry does not care.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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So long as it is done properly.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. 7 agreed to?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not agreed. I find it extraordinary that the Government proposes to allow only two hours of debate for Second Stage for the Water Services (No. 2) Bill tomorrow, with Committee and Report Stages to be given an hour and a half on the same day. It is an unprecedented level of guillotining of an important and substantial Bill.

This Bill has been significantly changed from the original one published by the Minister. It is significant in the sense that the prohibition on the privatisation of Irish Water and any reference to the Minister are removed from the legislation. This confirms our worst fears that the establishment of Irish Water was the beginning of the road to the privatisation of water provision.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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It was Fianna Fáil's idea in the first place

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In addition to that-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are only dealing with time element.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----a provision relating to an independent assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency has also been removed.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry, Deputy Martin; we are only dealing with the amount of time allocated. The Deputy is raising Second Stage stuff.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am just making the point that it is a substantive Bill that demands serious consideration by the House. We are being allocated only two hours for Second Stage and one hour and 40 minutes for Committee Stage.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It is all Deputy Martin's party's fault.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We had a meeting this morning with the Taoiseach about Seanad reform. We were promised a whole lot of stuff about Dáil reform, accountability and meaningful consultation but it all counts for nothing when Bills such as this - it is controversial from the Government’s perspective because it brings in a mechanism for water charges - are rushed through. How come Bills dealing with social welfare, property tax------

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy has made his point. We are only having a short discussion on the time allocation on the Order of Business.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----and water charges are just rammed through the Dáil in three hours? Where is the room for amendments there? Why can the Taoiseach not put Committee Stage back to January or February? Why is it being rushed through?

Ray Butler (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Is Deputy Martin a gospel preacher?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputies opposite are laughing. If that is their concept of democracy in the House, then fine. They cannot go on pretending they are achieving a democratic revolution, because they are not. This flies in the face of any commitment by the Government to meaningful Dáil reform.

Ray Butler (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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We have brought in real Dáil reform.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I remind Deputies that the rule is that Opposition Leaders can only ask why sufficient time is not given to a Bill. We do not debate Bills’ contents on the Order of Business. I call Deputy Adams.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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When Sinn Féin objects to some proposals on the Order of Business, it is not because we are trying to hold it up but to ensure proper scrutiny. On this particular Bill, which is highly controversial and technical, there is no reason the Taoiseach cannot extend the legislative deadline. There are issues with regard to the transfer of assets from local government to Irish Water, as well as implications for staff pension liabilities and services. It is being rushed through so it can become law in the new year. Why can we simply not extend it to make sure it is dealt with properly?

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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May I object as well?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, you may not.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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This is a Bill providing for a new draconian tax on ordinary householders, not just for their water in but for their wastewater out.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please resume your seat, Deputy Higgins.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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It is quite incredible that the Government is lashing this Bill through.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please resume your seat, Deputy Higgins. I have called the Taoiseach.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The reason the Bill is going through is that it is necessary to transfer the assets and the liabilities to Irish Water by 1 January 2014. I remind Deputy Martin-----

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----that while his party might have favoured privatisation for several reasons, it is specifically written into this legislation that it would require a change of government policy and would have to be approved by the Oireachtas.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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It is about privatisation.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has deleted the key section in this regard.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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There will be other Bills dealing with elements of water services which will be introduced by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. This Bill deals with the transfer of assets and liabilities------

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Seanad had more time to debate this Bill than the Dáil. It is an insult to Members.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is necessary that the Bill be approved by 1 January 2014. I am sure Deputy Ó Snodaigh does not want to be here next week or the week after.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach obviously has no problem being here next Wednesday.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It can be dealt with in January. This proposal is a joke.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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That is old bluff.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Will we bring Santy in with us?

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Why not change the deadline to 31 January 2014?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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They must be transferred by 1 January 2014 and that is why we are dealing with the Bill this week.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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This is shameful.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is extraordinary that the Taoiseach has published the health service plan today and has deliberately avoided any opportunity for the House in plenary session to debate what by any measure is a substantial Estimate which illustrates how the books were cooked on budget day and how we were deliberately given false figures which did not last a couple of weeks and which went through some verification process. Now we have some figures which, again, are unspecified in the health service plan. My real concern is about the impact it will have on people working on the front line across the country.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are not debating the health service plan.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Taoiseach undertake to give time tomorrow in the House to debate the health service plan at plenary session? Why did he so cynically choreograph business to avoid any meaningful debate on a set of Estimates on health that have been proved to be bogus from the outset when they were presented to the House on budget day?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This is an extensive service plan dealing with an expenditure of over €13 billion and it is important that everybody understands the full range of opportunity and challenge set out in the health service plan. Last week the Oireachtas committee on health decided it would do a full analysis of this at its first meeting in January. Following that if Deputy Martin still wishes to have a plenary debate here in the House having digested all the elements of the plan, I will be happy to oblige him.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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There should be a plenary session on the false Estimates.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Tá ceist agam maidir le reachtaíocht atá forógraithe. The Protected Disclosures Bill went through the Seanad last month but has yet to come before the Dáil. The very serious allegations on NAMA underline the importance of legal protection for whistleblowers. The programme for Government commits to the introduction of whistleblower legislation and there is some concern that it will not be brought before the Dáil in the new year. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment that the Protected Disclosures Bill will be brought before the Dáil as early in January as possible?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Public Accounts Committee has been in contact with NAMA and NAMA is willing and wishes to engage with that committee, which is important. This legislation has gone through the Seanad and is awaiting Second Stage, which will be taken early in the next session. The Whips will make arrangements for that.

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Last night, RTE's "Prime Time Investigates" broadcast a dramatic documentary on the questionable activities of a charity, Victory Outreach, which has potentially far-reaching consequences in that a liability may accrue to the State on foot of the State's probation services referring people to these charities. In light of what is going on with that charity and other activities which are coming to light in the charity sector, when will we have the charities regulation Bill before the House?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Charities Act was enacted in 2009. It provides for a system of registration and regulation of the charities sector in the country. As part of that an independent charities regulator authority is to be established. That authority will be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a public register of charities. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence has indicated that this will be early in the next session but I will confirm that to Deputy Niall Collins.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am afraid the time has expired for the Order of Business. We will have to wait until tomorrow.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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On a point of order, is there an assurance that those who want to speak on the Order of Business tomorrow will have the opportunity?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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There is no assurance whatsoever.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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Will it be the exact same?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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If there is a vote on the Order of Business I cannot give an assurance. I do not know.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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Should there be a policy that there be no votes on the Order of Business?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Maybe so, but I suggest Deputy Timmins put that to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I only apply the rules, as Deputy Timmins knows.