Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I support Senator Fitzgerald and Senator O'Toole in opposing the Order of Business. It is unacceptable that we would be asked to debate all Stages of the Social Welfare Bill, which is an important Bill that will make many changes and result in reductions to many people's income. That we would be asked to take all Stages of that today makes a mockery of the processes in the Seanad. The strength of the Seanad lies in our ability to debate in a comprehensive and thoughtful manner. I know the Leader agrees with me as he is nodding his head. That we would be asked to take Committee and Report Stages of the Bill together in one day, meaning that we do not have any time for any meaningful debate on amendments, is unacceptable and undermines the status and the purpose of the Seanad. I strongly oppose the Order of Business.

I ask for an amendment to the Order of Business on a related point because last week I asked for a debate in this House on the OECD report on literacy levels. It is a hugely important report, on which I was supported by everyone on the Opposition side and by some speakers on the Government side. The Leader promised that he would make time for that debate either that day, and there was a sos of one hour in which we could have had it, or this week. It is not on the Order Paper this week.