Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I join colleagues in objecting in the strongest possible manner to the way business is being ordered in the House. It is totally unacceptable to propose to rush such important legislation today and throughout the week. Even though we have gone through weeks in this House without any legislation being brought before us, a raft of legislation is being introduced this week. It is no way to run the House. The Leader must take responsibility for the haphazard and sloppy ordering of the business of this House throughout this term in particular. I ask him to reconsider what he has proposed today. He might point out that this is the last or second last week on which this House will meet before the summer recess, but that is no excuse where legislation of this importance is concerned. Perhaps my appeal to the Leader to rethink his position in this regard will fall on deaf ears.

The electricians' dispute will be fixed. I hope that will happen sooner rather than later. I call on both sides to come together and use the machinery that is in place to solve this problem, which will have a devastating effect on the country if it is not solved quickly. If the Tánaiste needs to intervene to help both sides to come together, she should do so. This dispute needs to end now, rather than at a later stage.