It is not agreed. Given the statement and the announcement by the Taoiseach yesterday stating that the confidential recipient, Mr. Oliver Connolly, has been relieved-----

Hold on a second. This has nothing to do with this motion.

It actually has.

No, it has not.

If the Ceann Comhairle would just let me-----

Well-----

I beg the Ceann Comhairle's pardon. I am opposing this on the grounds-----

Yes but it is a motion re proposed approval of the Finance Act.

Yes.

It has nothing to do with the-----

How does the Ceann Comhairle know? Will he let me finish?

Listen Deputy, would you mind respecting the Chair please?

I do respect the Chair. I always respect the Chair.

Yes, well I am telling you to stick to the motion.

May I just say, the Ceann Comhairle is too restrictive?

I am not too restrictive.

I have been in this House for a long time. The Ceann Comhairle needs to respect the Opposition's role as well.

Excuse me Deputy, I respect everyone in this House and I expect you to respect the Chair and to respect the rules of the House.

Insult.

And I do. I oppose this and I am entitled to make a statement on the opposition to this.

That is fair enough, but stick to the motion.

That is what I was saying but I had not even finished my sentence when I was interrupted.

We are not entering into another debate about the confidential-----

The reason is I find it extraordinary that time has not been made available by the Government for the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, to come into the Chamber today to make a statement on this issue and to answer questions.

Hear, hear.

But that is an entirely separate issue to the-----

It is an extraordinary situation that the Order of Business-----

Resume your seat please.

----- does not allow for a debate-----

You are making a joke out of the business.

I am not making any joke.

Of course you are.

It is the Order Paper that is making a joke out of it.

Will you resume your seat please?

With the greatest of respect, it is the Order Paper that is making a joke of this. He should be in here today.

I will suspend the sitting unless the Deputy resumes his seat. This is codology.

But he should be in here.

Sit down and resume your seat.

It is the greatest bar. A special notice question was tabled yesterday-----

Are you opposing this motion?

----- and it was not accepted.

I will now put the question.

I have been in this House for a long time-----

Listen, would you mind-----

----- and on matters of this gravity, Ministers always have come in.

The House is suspended for ten minutes.

A Cheann Comhairle, may I raise a point of order-----

No, you cannot. The Deputy cannot raise a point of order on the resumption of the House. I am putting the question now.

Can we have a reply from the Minister first?

I do not know to what the Minister is being asked to reply.

I reassure Deputy Martin that this is a technical motion in regard to the roll-over of approximately €132 million of capital relating to a number of Departments, which money is already in the Central Fund. This is a purely technical matter which, I am sure, the Deputy will approve of.

Nothing to see, move on.

I am now putting the question.

A Cheann Comhairle, may I raise a point of order now?

On what?

On the issue that was discussed earlier.

Sorry, I am in the middle of putting a question to the House.

May I do so when the Ceann Comhairle has disposed of the question?

Would Deputy Flanagan like to correct the record himself?

Deputy Flanagan cannot be jumping up and down in the middle of my putting a question.

I will treat the Ceann Comhairle with the utmost respect. I really need the matter that was discussed earlier-----

Sorry, Deputy. Would you please resume your seat?

They are all getting tetchy.

They are hungry.

They are following Deputies opposite.

I understand.

On the Order of Business, Deputy Martin.

Will the Minister ensure that the Government makes time available for a debate on the grave issues that have arisen consequent on the confidential recipient, Mr. Oliver Connolly, being relieved of his duties? Some serious issues have been raised in that context and it is appropriate that Members of this House on all sides would have an opportunity to contribute to such a debate and that the Minister would come into the House and answer questions in that regard. This is a basic request in respect of which there is plenty of precedent. I ask that the Government commit to the provision of time for such a debate.

The issue of a debate is a matter for the Whips. I suggest the matter be dealt with at a Whips' meeting.

It is a matter for Government.

The Minister has always been willing to come into the House and to attend any committee of the Houses. In fairness to the Minister, he has attended various committees for lengthy periods. The Minister is currently away on EU business.

He was at a committee meeting all day yesterday.

Not on this issue.

He has not said anything.

He dealt with it in committee yesterday.

The Deputy needs to get up to speed on matters.

Would Deputy Durkan like to take the Chair?

No. I am sorry.

The Deputy is not sorry.