Order of Business
The House agrees the day’s timetable, including guillotines and a suspension, after objections to limiting debate on the Finance Bill.
It is proposed to take No. 6, Finance Bill 2013 - Second Stage (resumed); and No. 7, Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2013 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to adjourn at 7 p.m. tonight, if not previously concluded.
It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Oral Questions, and the sitting shall be suspended on the conclusion of No. 6 for 30 minutes; the resumed Second Stage of No. 6 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 2.30 p.m.; and Topical Issues will be taken on the conclusion of No. 7, or at 7 p.m. whichever is the earlier, and the order shall resume thereafter with Oral Questions.
Comment on this
There are three proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.45 p.m. tonight and the suspension of sitting agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 6, Second Stage (resumed) of the Finance Bill 2013, agreed to?
Comment on this
It is a continual trend of this Government to impose the guillotine, and I have said this on numerous occasions on other pieces of legislation. There has been debate - this will be the third day of debate on the Finance Bill - but this Finance Bill contains serious measures that will impact on citizens the length and breadth of this State, and imposes additional hardship on many of them who are struggling under a weight of debt. There is no need for this guillotine. This debate could conclude without a guillotine being imposed but Members on both sides of this Chamber should be afforded the opportunity to have their say on the Finance Bill. My party opposes the guillotine of this Bill.
Comment on this
By the time we reach 2.30 p.m. today, there will already have been 12 hours of debate on the Finance Bill.
Comment on this
Some of it in the middle of the night.
Comment on this
It is a Bill which is giving effect to the measures in the budget on which there was previously a debate in the House. We feel that the time provided is adequate and as the House will be aware, there is a requirement that the Finance Bill is passed within a certain period of time after the budget.