It is proposed to take No. 14, motion re referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2012; No. 15, motion re referral to select sub-committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the National Pensions Reserve Fund Act 2000 (Suspension of Exchequer Contributions) Order 2012 and Taxation Agreements; and No. 5, Social Welfare Bill 2012 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn not later than 10 p.m. and that Nos. 14 and 15 shall be decided without debate. Private Members' business, which shall be No. 94, motion re confidence in the government, shall take place on the conclusion of the opening speeches of No. 5 or at 7.30 p.m., whichever is the later, and shall adjourn after 90 minutes if not previously concluded.

There are three proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. tonight and adjourn not later than 10 p.m. agreed to?

It is not agreed. We are opposing the Order of Business today as a protest against how the House is being dealt with and organised this week. There is an extraordinary attempt to suppress any meaningful articulation of issues around, for example, the Social Welfare Bill. It is being rammed through the House utilising the guillotine approach. On Friday we will have a property tax Bill. What the hurry with that is I simply do not know because it is not due to come in until next May, but the Government seems intent on ramming it through by next Friday at 6 p.m.

Our spokesperson has estimated that in respect of the amendments tabled for the Social Welfare Bill each Deputy will only have 13 minutes and there are probably only four or five Deputies who will get in on Committee Stage. This is aside from any other Member who many wish to speak independently of the spokespersons from the main Opposition parties.

In the programme for Government, the Government promised more effective financial scrutiny, that the Dáil would be in a position to hold the Executive to account and that it would tackle the extensive overuse of guillotines. The Chief Whip and Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, said the overuse of the guillotine was one of the great frustrations for Deputies. It will be used in abundance this week to ram the budget through. The only conclusion we can come to is that the reason this is being done is to ensure Labour Party backbenchers and some Fine Gael backbenchers do not get another weekend at home prior to any further decisions having to be made either in the Social Welfare Bill or regarding budget decisions.

It is as a result of Fianna Fáil's incompetence.

The Government wants to ram this thing through this week, suppress dissent and use the guillotine until it gets this thing safely through by Friday evening.

I rarely have much sympathy for An Teachta Martin's view of what the Government is doing because, after all, it is implementing Fianna Fáil policy, but in this case I believe he has a point. We made it clear last week following the time set aside for the X case and A, B and C v. Ireland debate that none of our Teachtaí Dála wanted to speak on that issue, that we had said what we wanted, and that we thought the time should be set aside to talk about the budget and these scathing cuts. We actually suggested that it should be done yesterday, on Monday. I am advised by our Whip that the Government Whip came in and just upended all of that. The whole thing is running on a conveyor belt with the Government - we saw what occurred earlier - refusing to allow Oireachtas Members to advise on our view of the budget and to allow us try to get the Government to change its mind on aspects of the budget to which, we believe, there are good alternatives.

I add my voice to the protest against the guillotine being imposed on this issue. In the programme for Government, the Taoiseach promised a democratic revolution, no less, a new type of politics and a new level of accountability. We are discussing a Bill that will touch deeply on the lives and quality of life of vast numbers of our most vulnerable citizens. I appeal to the Taoiseach at the least to be true to his word on allowing real debate, accountability and transparency on these most important and sensitive of matters and to allow a more open-ended discussion and certainly not to try to truncate the debate on these issues. The Taoiseach would be doing himself a favour if he did so and if he showed some willingness to listen to the views of the public and those affected on this issue. It would not be a climbdown. Rather, it would show a little courage from the Government if it allowed for a debate and, God knows, even better, it would allow time for the Government to reconsider some of these measures.

The Dáil sits until 11.15 p.m. tomorrow night and until 2 p.m. on Thursday to deal with the Social Welfare Bill. It has to go to the Seanad next week in order that the changed rates of unemployment assistance and social welfare protection can take effect on 1 January.

It can be changed.

We cannot have a debate on this.

I do not want a debate. This is a serious issue.

You cannot hop up and down on the Order of Business. There is a procedure.

There will be agriculture questions at 8.50 p.m. on Thursday night.

Thank you.

That is how farcical and ridiculous this entire programme is for the week.

That is a separate issue. You can take that up through your Whip.

It can be changed.

Deputy Martin should look back at the record of his Government.

Deputy, please resume your seat.

Never mind anything else. The Government should do what it said it would do.

Deputy Martin should look back at his record.

The Government should do what it said it would do.

Deputy Martin, please resume your seat. You have had your say on proposal No. 1.

We have not had our say. We want a reasonable opportunity to debate the Social Welfare Bill which we are not getting.

The proposal is that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn not later than 10 p.m. Now, please resume your seat.

Deputy Keaveney wants to speak. Deputy McNamara wants to speak.

I am now putting the question.

They will not get any opportunity to discuss it.

They will.

They will not.

Please resume your seat, Deputy.

The Chief Whip is ordering business but there is no consultation with anyone.

Will the Deputy please resume his seat?

The Chief Whip is not consulting anybody. It is his way and no one else's.

Is the proposal that Nos. 14 and 15 be decided without debate agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Member's business agreed to? Agreed.