Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The Order of Business is No. 1, a motion, to be taken without debate, concerning the draft Údarás na Gaeltachta Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2005, which propose to amend the existing code for Údarás elections to take account of changes to the local election code, subsequent to the last Údarás elections in 1999 — some of the changes include the repeal of provisions relating to deposits, changes to the nomination procedure, updating forms of acceptable elector identification, permitting of voter companions in the case of voters who cannot read or write sufficiently well and a reduction in the canvassing perimeter from 100 m to 50 m, with the elections to be held on 2 April 2005; No. 2, statements on the progress of the national spatial strategy, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude not later than 1.15 p.m, with the contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 15 minutes, those of other Senators not to exceed ten minutes, Senators may share time and the Minister to be called on to reply not later than five minutes before the conclusion of statements; No. 3, statements on the Supreme Court decision as regards nursing home charges, to be taken at 2.30 p.m. and to conclude not later than 5 p.m., with the contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 15 minutes, those of other Senators not to exceed ten minutes and the Minister to be called on to reply not later than five minutes before the end of statements; and No. 22, motion 14, to be taken from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will be a sos from 1.15 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.