I now call on the Taoiseach to reply to the objections raised by Deputies Micheál Martin and Gerry Adams to the manner in which No. 2 on the Order of Business is being treated.

Deputies Martin and Adams made the case that this Bill is being rammed through the House.

It is being rammed through.

The Government has spent five months negotiating in a comprehensive, thorough, open and accountable fashion with the trade unions and the Labour Relations Commission in regard to all these matters.

Kieran Mulvey was in charge of the negotiations.

That is in stark contrast to the situation that applied with the Fianna Fáil Party-----

It was Kieran Mulvey who got the deal.

-----on two occasions where financial emergency Bills were rammed through the House without any consultation-----

People agreed to Croke Park.

-----and Deputies were kept in the Chamber on a Friday in order to cut pensioners' money and so that they would not be home for the weekend and have all the odium that came with it. Let those Deputies not come into the Chamber and lecture us about arrogance or ramming things through. Deputy Adams has had quite a lot of discussion about this. Deputy Martin may want more time.

That was the shortest ever democratic revolution.

I brought in the rule in respect of reporting back to the House after every European Council meeting. We can suspend that discussion until next week, if the Deputies wish, and have it on Monday or Tuesday.

That is upside down, Taoiseach.

It does not matter to me at all because I will be around in any case.

Bring them back. We will be here.

Tommy Morris's man.

If the Deputies want that, I will suspend holding the statements on the European Council. We can also give Deputies Martin and Adams a further hour tonight for this Bill, if they so wish. They would get the European Council statements later and I would offer them the time that was allocated for the statements - I have enough to do anyway and this is very important. If they want that 85 minutes, they can have it and I will also give them another hour this evening for the Bill.

Is that agreed?

We should be talking to Kieran Mulvey.

Is that agreed? We are not having a debate.

We are past the smart-alecky. Less of that.

The Taoiseach summed it up himself. He said the Government had been working for five months on this but the Dáil gets only two days.

I am sorry, we are not having a debate. Is the proposal agreed?

That is the very point I am making.

Will the Deputy please resume his seat? Deputies, please.

We should be talking to Kieran Mulvey.

Deputy Kelleher, please. We are wasting the precious time available. An offer has been made-----

No offer was made.

An offer was made.

It is a joke.

The Taoiseach offered to suspend the taking of statements and to provide an additional hour tonight. I ask the Whips to agree on whether this is acceptable. Otherwise, I will put the question.

It is a joke. We wanted to hear from-----

Is that not agreed? I will put the question.

They do not want the extra time now.

Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members' business agreed to? Agreed.