Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I think we had about half the Members of the House contributing to the Order of Business today. This is rightly so given the important issue raised by many of them.

Senator O'Brien has raised the plight of pensioners and deferred benefit pensions. An amendment to the Order of Business has been proposed. I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the statements on Horizon 2020 would now conclude at 6 p.m. and that the Minister would be called to reply no later than 5.50 p.m. and that the Minister, Deputy O'Donoghue, would come in to the House for statements as requested by the Senator from 6 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. I presume this will be accepted.

I am surprised that Senator Darragh O'Brien did not raise the question which most other people raised here today about the protests. Last week, he asked why Garda resources were being wasted. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government was attending a function and the Senator questioned the need-----