Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on Palestine, to be taken at 2.20 p.m and to conclude no later than 3.50 p.m., with the contributions of all Senators not to exceed six minutes and the Minister to be given no less than five minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, statements on bed capacity at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, to be taken at 3.50 p.m and to conclude no later than 4.30 p.m, with the contribution of all Senators not to exceed four minutes and the Minister to be given no less than four minutes to reply to the debate; No. 3, statements on rural development, to be taken at 4.30 p.m. and to conclude no later than 6 p.m., with the contribution of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the Minister to be given no less than six minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 4, Private Members' business to be taken at 6 p.m., with time allocated not to exceed two hours.

If I may be permitted, I will explain to the House the reason for the delay to 2.20 p.m. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Cannon, was not available and we were not sure if the Data Protection Bill 2017 would conclude last night, so we had to leave time.