Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call the Government Chief Whip to put a business proposal to the House.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle. As is outlined in the revised report of the Business Committee and notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or in the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 of Standing Orders, and unless Dáil Éireann shall otherwise order, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the sittings of Dail Éireann for today and tomorrow:

- Leaders’ Questions shall not to be taken today;

- There shall be no Order of Business or Questions on Policy or Legislation today;

- Oral parliamentary questions to the Taoiseach shall not be taken;

- Topical issues, Private Members’ business and Thursday evening business pursuant to Standing Order 159(2) shall not be taken;

- The sequence of business shall be as outlined in the revised report of the Business Committee;

- The motion re ministerial rota for parliamentary questions shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

- Any division claimed on the proceedings on the motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on enhancing police co-operation in relation to the crimes of migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings shall be taken immediately, and those proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 57 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply. The order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: - opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State - 10 minutes;

- speech by representative of Sinn Féin - 10 minutes;

- speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group and the Independent Group - 5 minutes per party or group;

- speeches by non-aligned Members – 2 minutes;

- and a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes;

- Members may share time; - Questions to the Minister for Finance pursuant to Standing Order 46(1) shall be taken today, and questions to the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform that would have been taken tomorrow shall be taken on 23rd April, 2024, without any change to the allocation of priority questions to either Minister and not otherwise affecting the current sequence of Ministers as ordered by the House or rota for priority questions, save as otherwise ordered by the House;

- Proceedings on Second Stage of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned today either at 8.30 p.m. or after 4 hours and 5 minutes, whichever is the later, and on the adjournment or conclusion of the Bill, as appropriate, the Dáil shall adjourn until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

- The Dáil shall adjourn tomorrow on the conclusion of the statements to mark the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the smoking ban, which shall not exceed 2 hours and 27 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply: - the arrangements for the statements, not including the ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 135 minutes, and the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, providing for two minutes for non-aligned Members;

- following the statements a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

- Members may share time.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Minister of State clarify if the commencement time tomorrow is 10.30 a.m. rather than 10 a.m.?

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I have a commencement time of 10.30 a.m.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The commencement time will be 10.30 a.m. tomorrow and not 10 a.m. Is the proposal of business agreed?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is not agreed. Yesterday, the last words spoken by the Taoiseach were "let us get to work". Those were his direct words. We come today on his first day on the job and he is a no-show.

He is as láthair. We have a housing crisis. We have today 570 people on hospital trolleys across the State and we had 600 yesterday. We have families struggling just to get by, counting every euro. We have communities that feel entirely unsafe. We have a lot of work to do and the Government has a lot of questions to answer, yet the Taoiseach has not shown up. This is wholly unacceptable and we do not accept the proposition. Government Members waxed lyrical yesterday about the incoming Taoiseach, Deputy Simon Harris. Apparently, he was going to do in ten months what they failed to do in 13 years. It was all about moving mountains and getting straight to work and, today, he has not shown up. That is an absolute disgrace.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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It is a case of “Start as you mean to go on”. We hope this is not going to be the way we continue with the business. The last time I looked, the Constitution provided that the Dáil decides on the business of this Parliament. The Government is telling us what the business is today without consultation. We have a Business Committee that has become a facade. This is all dictated by the Government. When he spoke yesterday, the Taoiseach talked about reaching across the floor in a more collaborative approach. When we had a minority Government, a lot was achieved because there was not this “We own the agenda” kind of approach. A lot of things were achieved by that. This is not the way to start with a new Taoiseach and a new regime. This is the business of the Dáil, not the business of the Government exclusively. That has to stop. We are right to say this. We had no input into this and we should not be excluded in this way. I want the Business Committee to look very seriously at whether there is a point to the Business Committee if we are going to be just dictated to and told: “This is how things are going to be. We have the numbers so just leave it to us. We know best.” It is a very bad way to treat the Parliament and it is dictated by the Government.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan Taoiseach? Tá sé as lathair. This is a farce. We are in GUBU territory, I think, when we see this empty chair here today. Where is the Tánaiste? The business of this week is a shambles. Those in Government got a severe dressing down from the people in the referendum because they were not listening. They are not listening to us on the Business Committee or to the Members of this House. It is an absolute insult to democracy the way the business is being treated this week.

I did not get to the meeting two weeks ago and Deputy Collins went in my stead, but there was a full, packed agenda and the Government decided at a whim to just change it all to suit themselves for a coronation and a show. Despite all the promises yesterday that he was going to move mountains, the Taoiseach is not even here today. It is an insult to the democratically elected Members and, more importantly, to the people of this country. With the situation regarding the fodder crisis, the weather and 100 other problems for everybody, to have this going on is purely shambolic. It does not augur well for the new Taoiseach and this cobbled-together Government.

We had a kind of state-of-the-nation, turbo-driven address from the Minister, Deputy Ryan, yesterday on what he was not going to do to the people. My God, I think they have lost the plot completely, and I think people know that too. They are waiting for you. Tá siad ag fanacht sa bhfeár. They are waiting in the grass for you. You will get your answer because this is an absolute insult to democracy, to all of us but, more importantly, to the daoine na hÉireann.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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Maybe he will have the mountains carried from when we were down home.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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I think it is a disgrace and an insult but it is actually the way things are going to go, and that is fair enough because the Business Committee is a joke and a waste of time because the Government does not have to pay any attention to it. I am glad the Government is actually being honourable now in not paying any attention to it and going ahead and doing what it wants because that is what it set out to do anyway. For that reason, I oppose the Order of Business because I think it is wrong here. I hope we will not continue on with the fake Business Committee where the Government fakes the idea of the consultation with the Opposition. You can say what you want about that, a Cheann Comhairle, but that is actually what happens. The Government dictates the business in the Business Committee. When it suits the Government and it is put under pressure here in the Dáil, it will say the Business Committee decides it. Unfortunately, all of us in the Opposition go along with that to make it look like it is important and that the Business Committee means something when it actually does not mean anything at all.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I want to make a couple of comments in respect of the Business Committee because I have the responsibility of chairing it. I had the experience before that of being an Opposition Whip in the ancient, previous regimes. The truth of the matter is that the Business Committee is far from perfect but it has worked pretty effectively. I take Deputy Catherine Murphy's point. It worked far more effectively in the previous Dáil, because of the exigencies of the situation at the time, than it works now. However, I would say that the Chief Whip, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, is the best Whip I have seen in my years here. She continually takes on board points that are raised by people in the Opposition and tries to work them into the business programme. It is not the case that the Business Committee is a charade.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The Ceann Comhairle has nailed his colours to the mast in relation to the Whips. All of our Whips represent our groupings and parties.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am talking about Government Whips.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Well, the Ceann Comhairle did not say that. I am glad of the clarification.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I have no comment to make on anyone else, good, bad or indifferent. The Whip has tried to take on board, from the Government's perspective, the matters that have been raised.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Can I just ask, in that spirit, whatever about the Business Committee, and there is clearly a problem that needs to be addressed, I am not raising the issue of the Business Committee. I want to know where the Taoiseach is. Yesterday, he said he would be getting straight to work, that he would be moving mountains, and there was no challenge too great. We are here today, we have shown up to do our jobs, we have shown up for work, and where is the Taoiseach? He ought to be here taking questions and dealing with the issues that matter to the people. With the greatest respect, the Business Committee is not top of the list of priorities. Housing is; the hospital crisis is; the cost-of living crisis is; and the fodder crisis is. We have a right to expect the Taoiseach to be here. He is now in his post. We have had two weeks of recess. He has had plenty of time to prepare himself but he is not here today. To me, as an elected Member of this House, that is entirely unacceptable. It shows again the utter contempt of this failed Government for us and for the people we represent.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Thank you, Deputy. I certainly take that the business before us is the important matter. I am simply trying to clarify in respect of the Business Committee. I do take it that is not the important issue that is before us. It is, as you set out, Deputy McDonald. I call the Minister of State.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach is not available to take Leader's Questions today because he is speaking to the Prime Minister of the UK. He also has calls with the Northern Ireland First Minister, the Deputy First Minister and the President of Ukraine. Tomorrow, he will be in Brussels and Warsaw. He will be back to take Leader's Questions next week.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please let the Minister of State answer.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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In relation to the Business Committee, I have endeavoured and will continue to endeavour to work with my colleagues across the House on the scheduling of business. We in Government have to set the agenda and the legislation. We have always listened and I will continue to listen to suggestions about other statements or whatever Deputies might want to discuss in future. I look forward to that meeting on Thursday morning, but for today the Taoiseach is not available.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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Three phone calls.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Yes, three phone calls. It is a disgrace.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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This should not be happening. We understand those things have to be done, phone calls, etc., but where is the Tánaiste? When I was first elected, there was always either a Taoiseach or a Tánaiste on-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, we cannot get into that now.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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-----Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and that is the way it was.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Okay.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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This is total disrespect for the House. We should go over to the wax museum and get a model made and put it in there.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Fine. I am putting the question.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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That is all the good that-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The question is that the business proposal put forward by the Government Chief Whip be agreed to. Is that agreed?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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On a point of clarification, is the Government's position that the Taoiseach is not here present at his work with us because he had to make three phone calls? Can I just clarify that? The Chief Whip enunciated three people-----

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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He is working for the country.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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He has-----

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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Three phone calls.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Can I answer, please?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Three or four phone calls.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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You are grandstanding.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is not acceptable.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Can I answer?

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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It is ridiculous.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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It is absolutely ridiculous. Deputy Naughton should have had a better story before she came in here.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not think we can get involved in discussions about how many telephone calls somebody is making.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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That is what the Government is offering.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have important parliamentary business to do-----

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Exactly. The Taoiseach should be here.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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He has three phone calls to make.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are either for or against the proposal.