When these negotiations between the Whips are taking place, will the Taoiseach be mindful of the fact that The Workers' Party are not privy to those negotiations? Will he give an indication to the House that we will not have a collision of programmes as we have at the moment where we have a Private Members' Bill dealing with one aspect of intoxicating liquor and the Government colliding head-on with their Bill, leaving the House in some disarray. It would be better if the negotiations between the Whips could bring order to the alliance which exists between the Opposition so-called and the Government.

The Deputy may not be aware of it, but it has happened from time to time here — and it is not a bad practice — that Opposition parties bring forward proposals for legislation which are very often subsumed into legislation by the Government. As I said, this has happened from time to time and I do not see any objection to it.

Given these negotiations, would the Taoiseach not agree that the working of the House would be better serviced by at least a common programme? At present Private Members' time is dealing with a particular aspect of the reform of the law on intoxicating liquor while——

We are having repetition.

——a more elaborate Government Bill——

I am calling Question No. 2.

Will the Taoiseach agree that the business of the House could be better ordered by such an approach?

No, we believe in parliamentary democracy.

So do we but we do not think these things should be left in the hands of the Whips.