It is proposed to take No. 15, Revised Estimates for Public Services 2014 [Votes 1 to 41], back from committee; No. 15a, motion re referral to select sub-committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2014; No. 1, European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad] - Second Stage (resumed) and Remaining Stages; and No. 24, Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013 - Second Stage (resumed).

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 15 and 15a shall be decided without debate, and in case of No. 15, Votes 1 to 41, inclusive, shall be moved together and decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith.

There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 15, Revised Estimates for Public Services 2014 [Votes 1 to 41], back from committee, and No. 15a, motion re referral to select sub-committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2014, agreed to?

It is not agreed. We talk about accountability and that Parliament should have a more important role in holding Government to account. The Revised Estimates, Votes 1 to 41, inclusive, are coming back from the various committees, where I acknowledge they were discussed. However, we are now required to have a collective vote on all the Estimates. In fairness, the Opposition agrees with some Estimates, but we do not agree with many others. We are not being given an opportunity to vote on the Estimates Department by Department. There are problems with the Estimates for health and for social welfare. There are other Estimates that are acceptable.

It is being railroaded through.

How can the various committees discuss the Estimates only for them to be referred back to the House with just one vote to decide the full Government expenditure in every Department? That includes every cutback and hidden tax, and all the other various reductions in services. While I accept we can scrutinise them in committee, in plenary session we should be allowed to vote on each individual Department in order that we can have a clear view as to how we stand on the Government's Estimates.

I also object to this proceeding without debate. As Deputy Kelleher has acknowledged, the committees have individually scrutinised their respective Estimates. However, it is important that the Dáil as a full body should have space to consider each and every one of them. In many cases the Tánaiste's commitment to accountability could be drawn into question. Certainly this is one pretty spectacular example of a lack of accountability.

All of these Estimates were considered in the individual committees.

They were discussed.

They get a much greater degree of scrutiny at the individual committees than they ever got when Estimates were debated on the floor of the House. They are now considered programme by programme, which involves looking at the various objectives of Departments and measuring the Estimates against those objectives. To my knowledge none of the committees has asked that a particular Estimate should not be approved by the House.

We cannot do that.

There is no mechanism to do that.

These have now come back from the committees.

I am putting the question.

On a point of information, Members cannot oppose Estimates in the committee.

In some cases Members opposite did not even bother to turn up for the debate.

I am in the middle of putting the question on the proposal.

I am trying to be helpful to the Tánaiste.

They should turn up for the debate.

Sorry, would you mind? I am putting the question.

Would Deputies mind not having discussions in the middle of my trying to put the question? Thank you.

They are abusing us.

That applied to both sides, incidentally.