The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013 is scheduled for discussion this week. I understand the Bill will not be circulated until tomorrow. Perhaps the Taoiseach will confirm if that is the case.

While I welcome the Taoiseach's commitment to tackling welfare dependency, the budget for which is €20 billion, does he consider adequate the allocation, as provided for in the Dáil schedule for this week, of only nine hours and 35 minutes to debate that Bill in the context of the measures it introduces as per budget 2014? The Taoiseach, when in Opposition in 2009, condemned the idea of, to use his words, "the social welfare Bill being bulldozed through the Dáil in two days".

A woman scorned.

The Government is only allocating one hour in which to debate each €2 billion of taxpayers' money, which I do not believe is adequate.

It is important, in the context of the way in which we deal with legislation, that adequate time is provided for people to voice their opinions on legislation. The Government approved the social welfare and pensions Bill 2013 this morning. It will be published tomorrow. The Whip understands the necessity for people to have an opportunity to comment on Bills. However, we do not want to play games and to provide additional time for the sake of it. If the Opposition Whips are prepared to discuss with the Minister the timeline required, the Government Whip will be as generous as possible. However, we cannot allow measures to be dragged out unduly, with people seeking additional time for the sake of saying they secured it.

There will be no guillotine.

The Whip will be as flexible and as generous as needs be. We do not want the debate to drag on interminably.

On that point, I raised this matter last week with the Tánaiste. The Taoiseach has said the Whip will be as generous as possible. The bottom line is that the Whips were told that Second and Committee Stages would be taken on Thursday and Friday and that they could make up their minds in regard to how much time they wished to spend on Second and Committee Stages, respectively.

It is the view of most Opposition parties that Second Stage should be taken this week, with Committee Stage not being taken until such time as Members have had time to reflect on the Second Stage debate. There is no rush in respect of this Bill. The only reason advanced for this by the Whip was that the legislation might be held up in the Seanad.

That was never said.

It was said to the Whips that the fear was that the Bill, because of the Government's difficulties with the Seanad, would be delayed by it. That is no basis for how debate on a Bill should be scheduled. There has been much talk about Dáil reform and the Seanad referendum is over. We were promised reform of the Dáil and the Government is again rushing through the social welfare and pensions Bill on Thursday and Friday. What we are being offered is a Hobson's choice of a five hour Second Stage debate and a three hour Committee Stage debate. There is no need for it.

There are six other Deputies offering and only 11 minutes remaining.

I would like clarification on a matter.

I call the Taoiseach to respond to the questions asked.

It is not true that the Bill is being guillotined. I am not in the business of wanting to guillotine Bills. Members will have plenty of time to argue their points and state their case. This is an important Bill that affects many people in terms of the changes being introduced.

Yes, and in a negative way.

We do not want debate on the Bill to be dragged out. There is a great deal of legislation waiting to go through the Houses. The Whip has asked the other Whips to consider the timescale set out and to engage constructively with him in that regard. The response will be on that basis. We must get Bills through.

Is the Government open to amendments?

We will allow people to have their say.

The Bill does not have to go through this week.

The Bill does not have to go through this week.A Leas-Cheann Comhairle-----

I am not allowing Deputies in again. I call Deputy Healy-Rae.

In fairness, it is important to those of us who do not officially have a Whip and wish to contribute to the debate on the social welfare and pensions Bill that the Taoiseach clarifies that we will have an opportunity to speak on the Bill and that debate on it will not be guillotined on Friday.

Hear, hear.

It is important that any Member who wishes to contribute to the Second and Committee Stage debates has an opportunity to do so.

Hear, hear.

The Deputy has made her point adequately. I call Deputy Healy-Rae.

As I said, the Whip will be as generous as possible.

That means nothing to us. The idea of the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, being generous-----

We are not going to drag out debate on the Bill interminably.

The division is becoming greater.

Order, please. I call Deputy Healy-Rae.