Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is proposed to take No. 9, Finance Bill 2015 - Second Stage (resumed), No. 8, Social Welfare Bill 2015 - Second Stage (resumed) and No. 10, Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2015 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the proceedings on the resumed Second Stage of No. 9 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 2.30 p.m. today and the proceedings on the resumed Second Stage of No. 8 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 4 p.m. today.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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There are two proposals to be put to the House today. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 9, Second Stage of the Finance Bill 2015 agreed?

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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It is not agreed. A range of other Opposition speakers have yet to speak on the Finance Bill and they will not be given the opportunity. I will quote a phrase for the Minister:

I think for a long time there has been an imbalance between the Executive and the Parliament. I think the Government will strengthen the hand of Parliament to hold the Government to account. I think that would be in everybody's interest.

They are the words of the Minister.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I strongly agree.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister now proposes to guillotine one of the central pieces of legislation, namely, the Finance Bill, and subsequently, the Social Welfare Bill. I understand there was a Whips' meeting yesterday evening and a guillotine was not discussed at that time. Could the Minister clarify why the Bill is being guillotined, and why Second Stage, which is the opportunity for every Deputy to speak on the legislation before it goes to committee, is being curtailed when there are people to speak?

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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On behalf of Sinn Féin I strongly oppose the guillotining of this Bill and also the Bill that will follow. This is about proper parliamentary practice and there needs to be an opportunity for every Member of the House to have an input into the Finance Bill. There are details within the Bill that were not discussed on budget day, yet there was a lengthy discussion in terms of the Budget Statement. It is crucially important that we allow Second Stage to proceed without a guillotine. I believe that could be accommodated without requiring a significant amount of additional time. I urge the Minister to review his position on guillotining the legislation in order to accommodate the other speakers who wish to contribute on Second Stage. I do not see the necessity to impose a guillotine. There is no major urgency attached to the Bill in terms of deadlines in getting the legislation across the line. Sinn Féin will oppose the proposal. We ask the Government not to proceed with it, especially given that we have not imposed a guillotine on Bills recently, and to continue with that practice and to let the Parliament debate the Bill in full.

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

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Is there another speaker?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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There is no other leader present.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I beg your pardon.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There are many.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Peter.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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Is that an invitation?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am a great believer in allowing adequate debate on any matter that comes before the House.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister should practise what he preaches.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As is routine, the Finance Bill is more of a Committee Stage Bill than it is a Second Stage Bill because it largely replicates, with a few exceptions - the Deputy is correct - the debate we had on the budget, but the detail is in the committee work and I would ask the House to agree to simply allow the Second Stage to pass and to deal with the Committee Stage on an issue-by-issue basis.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is nonsense of the highest order.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am sure adequate time will be afforded to the committee to go through the Bill forensically.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is the proposal for dealing with No. 8 agreed?

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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No.