Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, unless otherwise ordered, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to any meeting of the Seanad on Thursday, 1st December, 2022: (a) the ordinary routine of business shall be interrupted after the Order of Business pursuant to Standing Order 16, and the sitting of the Seanad shall thereupon stand suspended;

(b) at 2 p.m., the Seanad shall be enjoined with Dáil Éireann to constitute a joint sitting of both Houses of the Oireachtas in the Dáil chamber for the purpose of an address by Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, followed by statements;

(c) the joint sitting shall be chaired by the Ceann Comhairle and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle;

(d) the proceedings at the joint sitting shall be as follows:

(i) the Ceann Comhairle shall make an opening statement, followed by the address by President von der Leyen;

(ii) following President von der Leyen’s address, statements shall be made in the following order and with the following arrangements:

(I) the Taoiseach  10 minutes;

(II) the Tánaiste  5 minutes;

(III) the leader of the Green Party  5 minutes;

(IV) the leader of Sinn Féin  10 minutes;

(V) the leaders or a representative of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group, the Independent Group, the Seanad Independent Group and the Seanad Civil Engagement Group – 4 minutes per party or group; and

(VI) members may share time; and

(iii) the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann shall make a concluding statement;

(e) on the conclusion of the Cathaoirleach’s statement, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle shall adjourn the joint sitting;

(f) the protocol and seating plan for the joint sitting shall be as agreed by the Dáil Business Committee and the Seanad Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight; and

(g) following the adjournment of the joint sitting, the ordinary routine of business shall resume at 3.45 p.m.