It is proposed to take Nos. 4, 14, 1 and 15. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall sit later than 9.00 p.m. today and business shall be interrupted at 11.00 p.m. It is further proposed that the proceedings on the Second Stage of No. 4 shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at 1.30 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply: (1) The speech of the spokes-person for each of the groups (as defined in Standing Order 89) shall not exceed 30 minutes. (2) Any other speaker shall not exceed 15 minutes. (3) The Minister for Social Welfare shall be called on to conclude the debate not later than 1.15 p.m.

It is further proposed that the Report and Final Stages of No. 14, and all Stages of No. 1, shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at 5.00 p.m. and 9.30 p.m., respectively, by one question, in each case, which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for the Environment and the Taoiseach, respectively. Private Members' Business shall be No. 29.

Are the proposals for a late sitting today agreed?

I object to the Order of Business for today.

I asked a distinct question. Is the proposal for a late sitting today agreed?

I do not object to the late sitting but I object to the Order of Business for today on two grounds, first because of the content of the Order of Business in relation to the Social Welfare Bill and, second, because of the aims of the Government in relation to it.

The Social Welfare Bill is a specific matter on the Order of Business. Can we clear the Order of Business seriatim, item by item?

I object to the Order of Business as it was presented to the House today because, although it was agreed last Thursday between the Whips, on Friday the Government sought to change the Order of Business for today. I object to what they are trying to do in the Social Welfare Bill. The court recommended that levels of increases be given to certain recipients of social welfare and this Government — consistent with what they have been doing in the area of social welfare——

I am putting the Order of Business as outlined by the Taoiseach. The first question I put to the House was: is the proposal for the late sitting this evening agreed?

It is not agreed.

Are the proposals for dealing with item No. 4 agreed?

I object to the proposal to apply a guillotine to the Social Welfare Bill to complete discussion on Second Stage at 1.30 p.m. The 1985 Act had a guillotine applied to it by the then Coalition Government and problems arose subsequently. I have no doubt that problems will arise from this Bill also. I object, therefore, to the guillotine being applied. I also object to (1) as it seeks to exclude The Workers' Party from the 30 minutes slot.

The Deputy has made his point. I now propose to put the question——

I do not propose to call a vote because its effect would be to simply deny The Workers' Party any time at all.

Are the proposals for dealing with No. 4 agreed?

They are not agreed.

I am putting the question: "That the proposed allocation of time for Second Stage of No. 4 be agreed to."

To conclude the Order of Business, may I ask if the proposals for dealing with Nos. 14 and 1 are agreed to? Agreed.

I am glad to inform the House, in an informal way, that our colleague the Tánaiste, Deputy Brian Lenihan, had a very successful operation last night. He is doing very well and all the indications are that he will be fully restored to health.

We are all very glad to hear that news and I am sure the whole House will send its best wishes to the Tánaiste.

Hear, hear.

An bhféadfainn a fhiafraí den Taoiseach, anois ó tá sé ag caint faoi chuairt a thabhairt ar Aras an Uachtaráin, an bhfuil sé i gceist aige sa lá atá romhainn amach nó amárach, b'fhéidir, a chéad chuairt oifigiúil a thabhairt ar Roinn na Gaeltachta chun a insint don Roinn sin——

Níl sé sin in ordú anois.

——cén fáth nach bhfuil cathaoirleach ceaptha aige do Bhord na Gaeilge, agus b'fhéidir chun slán a fhágáil don uair dheireannach leis an Roinn.

(Cur isteach.)

An bhfuil turas i gceist aige?

First, I should like to say that I have heard the news from the Taoiseach with regard to the Tánaiste with great delight and relief. I am sure all of us share that sense of relief and pleasure that he is now doing well. I hope he will have a very speedy recovery.

I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he would comment on yesterday's judgment in the High Court by Mr. Justice Hamilton in the course of which he found that the Oireachtas was in breach of its obligation under Article 16 of the Constitution to revise constituencies, especially since the publication of the results of the last census.

That is a matter which does not arise now. Doubtless the Deputy will have another opportunity of raising that matter in a proper fashion.

May I ask the Taoiseach if he wishes to make any comment on that judgment?

Like the other Leaders, I too welcome the news which the Taoiseach has given to the House with regard to the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and I should like to pass on to him our best wishes for a speedy recovery. In passing, may I ask the Taoiseach if he has any good news?

I will have good news for the Deputy tomorrow.

May I ask the Taoiseach to give an explanation of the magic economic approach being adopted by his Government following the announcement by the Minister for Social Welfare that the St. Vincent de Paul would create 1,000 jobs on receipt of £500,000 from his Department?

Please, Deputy O'Keeffe, that clearly is not a matter for the Order of Business.

It is very relevant to those people who are being fooled by this type——

Please, Deputy O'Keeffe.

Are the Government putting the St. Vincent de Paul on a statutory basis?

Deputy O'Sullivan.

May I ask the Taoiseach if he intends to direct one of his Ministers to intervene in the Dublin postal dispute? Is he aware that to date the company have spent way in excess of what it would have taken to resolve the dispute? Furthermore, would he comment on the remarks of the director of the human resources in An Post——

In fairness, I should advise the House that I am in receipt of a Private Notice Question concerning that subject matter. As yet, I have not given it proper consideration but it is not in order to raise the matter now.

A Cheann Comhairle, I seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment today the closure of Corra Fashions Knitwear factory in Donegal with the loss of over 60 jobs in an area at present economically deprived and the catastrophic implications for employment in that area.

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.

(Limerick East): A Cheann Comhairle, I want to raise a matter on the Adjournment. In the course of the decision by the Minister for Health to close Barrington's Hospital in Limerick, the Minister committed himself to providing a sufficient service at St. John's Hospital in respect of casualty patients. The Minister has now decided to close the casualty unit——

I am sorry, the Deputy may not elaborate now. If he is seeking my permission to raise the matter on the Adjournment I shall communicate with him.

(Limerick East): A Cheann Comhairle, as yet you have not heard——

Sorry, Deputy, I understand quite clearly the matter you wish to raise.

(Limerick East): On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle——

No, Deputy, you may not make a speech on the matter now.

(Limerick East): A Cheann Comhairle, I am within my rights in specifying the matter I am raising.

No, Deputy, you may request me to raise a specific matter——

(Limerick East): The Minister is closing the casualty unit in St. John's Hospital.

The party opposite wanted to close St. John's Hospital altogether.

(Limerick East): The Minister for Health misled the House; he told lies in here.

(Limerick East): He did. He is now closing it down and I want to raise that matter on the Adjournment. I am perfectly within my rights in so doing.

(Limerick East): Is it not his stubbornness which has defeated the Government three times? He should not be Minister for Health at all; the health service is in a shambles.

Deputy Quinn was offering.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, may I raise on the Adjournment another imminent closure, that is, the decision by the Minister for the Environment to destroy the flats in Sheriff Street and, in the process, cause absolute chaos in the housing allocations system of Dublin Corporation as a consequence of this wanton lack of discussion.

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.

May I, too, seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the directive from the Department of the Environment to the Dublin City Manager regarding the future of the Sheriff Street community and the clear implication in that directive — which has not been withdrawn — that the community would be displaced from their traditional parish area?

I will communicate with the Deputy in regard to that matter.

I should like to raise on the Adjournment the sacking of two prison officers one of whom was shot at in the course of his duty who, rather than being recommended for some type of meritorious award, now finds himself being sacked and——

I am sorry, Deputy, I think that is adequate for my information.

In this instance the man concerned, rather than receiving any type of treatment has been sacked.

I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter he has raised.

May I ask the Taoiseach when will the Dún Laoghaire Harbours Bill be taken?

At the earliest possible date.

May I repeat my request to raise on the Adjournment the strike at Unidare which has already led to the closure of one of the plants there and the continuing unemployment of 400 to 500 people?

I will communicate with the Deputy concerning that matter.

A Cheann Comhairle, perhaps it is a question of taking fiscal rectitude too far, but I hope I am in order in asking you personally to find 50p for the meter to put us back on the air in here.

I understand that——

The lights are out; the blinds are down.

There is plenty of light on this side.

Deputy, I understand that the lighting has been put out to reduce the incidence of heat in the House, much of which we engender ourselves, of course.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the unresolved dispute that has arisen in terms of recruitment of students for the forthcoming school year at Shannon Airport.

I will communicate with the Deputy in regard to that matter.

I should like to seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the serious threat posed to our fishing industry by an EC Directive which sets targets for the size of each Community fleet in 1991.

I will be in touch with Deputy Sheehan concerning that matter.

I should like to raise on the Adjournment the distribution of national lottery funds and the submission to the Government by the all-party committee——

——and will be delivered on 15 June.

I will communicate with the Deputy concerning that matter.

Before 15 June; they are already being allocated.