I wish to put on record our deep dissatisfaction at the way Parliament is being treated by the Government. The Government parties have an overwhelming majority but the degree to which they are using it to undermine the status of Parliament is truly shocking. What happened last evening was disgraceful by any standards.

It was outrageous.

Saint Martin.

Did it change Deputy Martin's day in the south?

I refer in particular to the lack of briefing and consultation with spokespeople on the Opposition side. Prior to the previous general election, we all signed on to fundamental reform of the political system and of the relationship between the Executive and the Parliament.

Why did Deputy Martin not do it before then?

He was building golf courses.

It is becoming more regressive and it is getting worse. Last evening, for example-----

I would appreciate it-----

Order please.

This is more of it; the attempt to heckle and shout down people who want legitimately to articulate a view.

Deputy Martin is fairly good at it himself.

Order.

There is a constant refrain from the Government benches.

Deputy Martin has the floor.

Opposition spokespeople were not even afforded the courtesy of ministerial briefings last evening prior to major legislation being rammed through the House in a very short space of time because of an emergency situation that had emerged.

It was the same with the bank guarantee.

There were briefings from officials very late into the night, almost in parallel with the taking of the Bill. It became ridiculous. Irrespective of what side of the House one is on, that is not good for how the Dáil conducts its business. Likewise today, there has been precious little engagement with the Chief Whip. Business is done by order now. Whatever the Executive orders becomes the order of the day.

The House is governed by Standing Orders.

There is no meaningful consultation. There is no discussion on the daily schedule or on what the Order of Business should be.

The Government is getting carried away.

It is going to your head, lads.

Business is announced by diktat. The Parliament is losing any sense of sovereignty, independence or assertion-----

Please.

-----because of the increasingly-----

Is there a time limit to contributions?

-----disconnected way the Executive is behaving and not bringing Parliament fully on board in terms of the issues we are being asked to consider. We were hanging around this morning not knowing whether there would be Leaders' Questions-----

That is right.

-----or when it would take place.

We will come to the issue later.

What I hear from our Whip is that the Chief Whip goes into silent mode.

That is not a bad thing either.

We did not have a revised schedule at 11 a.m. or 12 noon today. That is what is going on. The Chief Whip should learn the art of consultation, engagement and listen to people-----

All right. I thank the Deputy.

-----because it is not happening.

I call Deputy Peadar Tóibín. Order please.

Deputy Martin wants to go back to Cork.

The Dáil schedule is decided now to suit Government spin.

Deputy Kelleher can talk when he is on this side of the House.

Leaders' Questions will be on following Mario Draghi's conference.

Please. Excuse me, Deputy. I call Deputy Tóibín.