I move "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

The purpose of the Bill is to give effect to the County of Louth and Borough of Drogheda (Boundaries) Provisional Order, 1976 which was made by me on 19th October last. The order provides for the extension of the boundary of the Borough of Drogheda to take in part of County Louth and part of County Meath. The total area being added to Drogheda is about 1,715 acres——

On a point of order, are we taking the Second Stage of the Local Government Bill now or are we only moving to have it taken following the Order of Business?

It is being taken now.

Normally, business is not permitted to be taken until the Order of Business has been declared by the Ceann Comhairle.

That is the procedure.

What is the procedure—what I have just said or what the Ceann Comhairle is saying?

Under Standing Orders Private Business must be dealt with first. It takes precedence.

What is the position about item No. 3? I understood that I was to move it at this stage.

I will call on the Deputy in due course. I will be calling on the Taoiseach to announce the Order of Business in due course.

It is a pure technicality. Apparently, this must be taken first, then I announce the Order of Business, and then item No. 3 will come on.

Can we agree that the Order of Business be taken first and then deal with the Bill?

Unless it is against Standing Orders.

If we agree, we can.

I do not remember having experienced this. We have had Private Members' Business before in relation to hospital boards and things of that nature, but I do not remember this procedure.

I had better read the Standing Order. Standing Order No. 25 says:

Every sitting of the Dáil shall be governed by a printed Order Paper which shall be prepared under the direction of the Ceann Comhairle. The Taoiseach shall have the right to determine the order in which Government business shall appear on the Order Paper and, by announcement at the commencement of public business, the order in which it shall be taken each day.

26. The ordinary routine of business in the Dáil shall be as follows:

1. *Questions.

2. Private Business

3. Public Business—

(i) At the commencement of Public Business—

I am dealing now with No. 2, Private Business, before we come to Public Business, in accordance with Standing Order No. 26.

I thought that it was the Taoiseach's prerogative to determine the Order of Business?

At the commencement of Public Business the Taoiseach will announce the Order of Government Business.

Technically, does that mean that we could have the Local Government (Provisional Order) Bill for the rest of the day and not get any Order of Business?

Assuming the Minister for Local Government proceeds with reading the statement on Second Reading, can I take it that Deputy Faulkner, if he so wishes can come in and debate this measure at whatever length he likes?

Can we have the Order of Business now?

The sensible thing to do would be to have the Order of Business announced now, if it is permissible, otherwise the Taoiseach must stay here throughout the debate on the Bill.

If the House wishes to depart from the Standing Orders as laid down and allow the Taoiseach to announce Public Business now be it so.