Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I agree with the Chair that the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan, is not a little boy. I happily withdraw the remark which was a dreadful thing to say about him. I apologise to him and to anybody who was offended by it. Nevertheless, he said it was not a promise even though it was reiterated twice by the Taoiseach and it is part of the social partnership agreement and the programme for Government.

I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business that we devote the first hour of business this morning to a discussion on Government policy on overseas development aid. I cannot speak for anybody else but the Labour Party will ensure the Intoxicating Liquor Bill is still finished at 2 p.m. We will accommodate this if the Government allows one hour for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who will be in the House, to articulate Government policy on overseas development aid.

My assessment is that there is no Government policy, only Fianna Fáil policy and Progressive Democrats policy. The Progressive Democrats must learn that Fianna Fáil's side of the deal is to give it the tax cuts it wants while the Progressive Democrats' side of the deal is to give Fianna Fáil the expenditure priorities it wants. The Progressive Democrats has lost out. The Government has broken perhaps the most solemn commitment into which the Taoiseach ever entered. In a casual chat, a junior Minister announced it was not really a promise. They should be ashamed of themselves and some are perhaps.