Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy Leader of the House for setting out the proposed Order of Business for today. I must take up two or three issues with her. One relates to No. 3. I have a problem with anybody who tells me I cannot do anything. I do not think it is good parliamentary practice to come to a House and propose a motion without debate. There is some confusion, although I am not confused. The Deputy Leader might clarify this later. On 13 November 2020, we were furnished with two motions on this issue. One was to approve the motion while later, we had motion No. 2 - they are both with me as I printed them off - which refers to today's proposal to send this to the Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I think that is the right decision.

My concern is the lack of detail. I will make a proposal regarding Standing Orders of the House in respect of this in future. I do not believe any motion should come to this House without an explanatory memorandum. This issue related to a total aggregate of money that can be given to the horse and greyhound racing industry by Government, not the amount given every year. This was limited to £200 million in 2001. This limit can be increased by regulations and motion, and this is what this motion will attempt to do. The limit now stands at €1.36 million.

This motion is due back in this House next week. If it is approved, it will add €96 million to the limit, which is a significant amount of money. In respect of suggesting that we come in here to talk about a motion without debate, it is more fundamental because it deals with an awful lot of money. I am happy to support today's arrangement but I respectfully put down a marker and ask the Deputy Leader to bring this up with the Leader's office. I do not think we should have any motion before this House without an explanatory document.I thank the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Orla Murray in the Leader's office who facilitated me as regards some content last night and provided me with more information. I understand the Department has now agreed, through the Leader's office, to provide an explanatory memorandum, which I hope we will see today.

With regard to the Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill 2020, the Deputy Leader has done a lot of work on this in the OSCE. I have been with her there so I know her track record and form. It is suggested that we can have only 90 minutes to discuss this critically important Bill, to which the Deputy Leader is a signatory and I commend her on it. This should be increased to two hours, which is standard practice for Private Members' business. Will the Deputy Leader agree to my reasonable request to extend the debate by a further 30 minutes?