Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I sincerely hope the Leader will be amenable to our concerns and will not oblige us to oppose the Order of Business. Will he propose an amendment to the Order of Business as already announced by him? I agree with my colleagues on this side of the House who have spoken before me. I also liked what Senators Ó Murchú, O'Malley and Hanafin had to say. Will the Leader propose to adjourn the House to allow us to attend the Dáil Chamber for the announcement that is to be made at 4 p.m.? Later in the afternoon, whenever a Minister is available, I ask that the Leader allow a debate on the details of that announcement.

My colleagues and I have said repeatedly in this House that, like Members opposite, we are absolutely dedicated to a balanced and fair package. We accept the need for reform. We are all in this together, and we all have a vested interest in the future of our country. This announcement is of vital concern to our economy, as is the proposed recapitalisation package for the banks. We cannot afford drift in this regard or we may face disaster. Until the banking issue is resolved, there will be not be the confidence necessary to ensure we can return the economy to growth in the future.

There must be an equitable package. We on this side of the House are concerned by some of the information that has been leaked, but we do not know the accuracy of that information. I appeal to the Leader to allow for a brief adjournment, to be followed by a ministerial briefing and debate.

I now raise another issue of vital national importance.