Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, and unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the sittings of the Dáil on 10th, 11th and 12th October, 2017:

(1) (i) there shall be no Order of Business or questions on promised legislation within the meaning of Standing Order 28;(ii) Leaders' Questions shall not be taken on Tuesday, and shall be taken on Wednesday and Thursday as the first item of business, and in accordance with the Schedule to this Resolution;

(iii) Oral Questions shall not be taken on Tuesday and Wednesday;

(iv) Oral Questions to the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation within the meaning of Standing Order 38(1)(b) shall be taken on Thursday not later than 4 p.m.;

(v) topical issues may not be raised;

(vi) leave may not be sought under Standing Order 34 to adjourn the Dáil on a specific and important matter of public interest;

(vii) private members' business shall not be taken;

(viii) no Committee report shall be taken on Thursday evening under Standing Order 140(2);

(ix) all divisions shall be taken immediately;

(x) the Dáil shall sit at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, and at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday;

(xi) on Wednesday, the Dáil shall adjourn at 10 p.m.;

(xii) on Thursday, the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of Oral Questions to the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation;

(xiii) there shall be no block voting time within the meaning of Standing Order 70(2) on Thursday; and

(xiv) any votes claimed on Thursday, 5th October, 2017, after the block voting time shall be taken at the block voting time on Thursday, 19th October, 2017;(2) in relation to the sitting of the Dáil on Tuesday, 10th October, 2017, the following arrangements shall apply:(i) the Dáil shall sit later than 10 p.m., the motion for the General Financial Resolution shall be moved not later than 12 midnight, and upon the moving of the General Financial Resolution, the Dáil shall adjourn forthwith;

(ii) the business to be transacted shall be the Budget Statement and Financial Motions by Deputy Pascal Donohoe, Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) the statement of Minister Donohoe shall not exceed one hour;

(b) following the statement of the Minister, statements may be made by the spokespersons on Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Solidarity-People Before Profit (Sol-PBP), Independents 4 Change, the Rural Independent Group, and the Social Democrats-Green Party Group, who shall be called upon in that order, and whose statements shall not exceed an aggregate of 60 minutes in each case, and such members may share their time; and

(c) following the statements, the sitting shall be suspended for 30 minutes, and on the resumption of the sitting, a Minister or Minister of State shall move an allocation of time motion for the Financial Motions; and

(3) in relation to the sittings of the Dáil on Wednesday and Thursday, 11th October and 12th October, 2017, the business to be transacted shall be the resumed debate on the General Financial Resolution, to which the following arrangements shall

apply:(i) the speech of the Taoiseach and of the leaders of Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Solidarity-People Before Profit (Sol-PBP), Independents 4 Change, the Rural Independent Group, and the Social Democrats-Green Party Group, or members nominated in their stead, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case; and such members may share their time;

(ii) the sitting shall be suspended pursuant to Standing Order 25(1) on the conclusion of speeches by leaders, or a member nominated in their stead, until 5.30 p.m.;

(iii) the speech of each other member subsequently called upon, who may share his or her time, shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case; and

(iv) when there are no further members offering, the debate shall adjourn, and, in any event, on Thursday 12th October, 2017, the debate shall adjourn not later than 4 p.m.

SCHEDULE

Wednesday	Thursday
1 Fianna Fáil	Fianna Fáil
2 Sinn Féin	Sinn Féin
3 Solidarity-People Before Profit (Sol-PBP)	Rural Independent Group
4 Independents 4 Change	Social Democrats-Green Party Group
5 Fianna Fáil	Sinn Féin
6 Labour Party	Solidarity-People Before Profit (Sol-PBP)

"

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I did not agree with the Business Committee last week. On previous occasions, oral questions were always taken on Wednesday, the day after the budget. Perhaps this is something we should take account of because parliamentary questions are being pushed back by Departments and spokespersons have expressed annoyance at this. Perhaps we could look at the possibility of having normal ministerial parliamentary questions on the Wednesday.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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That matter can be considered by the Business Committee. I do not see any particular problems. We will take it on Thursday. Is that okay? It is a bit late with the deadline to achieve that for next week but we will do it subsequently. We will consider it. The Deputy's Whip is proposing that we take ordinary questions on that day. The deadline for the submission of questions is late at this stage.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ordinary questions were taken in the past.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Not to my knowledge.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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They were at one time.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is here a lot longer than I am. We will investigate.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We just want to make sure there is consistent accountability on the Government side.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will assess the matter and see what can be done.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is a lot of ducking and diving going on.