We object to the Order of Business. This Government promised to end the use of guillotines but we have a flurry of guillotines in today's order. Our Whip objected to this at the Whips' meeting last evening. Many of these issues do not need a guillotine and we can debate them appropriately, like adults. For example, yesterday the Finance Bill went through its Remaining Stages in the House and there was to be a guillotine. That was discussed and it was agreed there was no need for a guillotine. It went through slightly after the time at which the guillotine was meant to take effect. There is no need for this approach and we have little enough accountability in this House as it is. Some of these issues warrant more time but others might not, so the time afforded will be adequate. The matters should be dealt with by agreement rather than by ramming through a series of guillotines in a manner which the Government promised would never happen.

It is obvious not just coming into Christmas but coming into the election season that there is a furious pace in ramming through as much legislation as possible. We have no objection to late sittings - far from it - but it is, of course, always better to have more notice than was given in this instance. There is a problem with affording 20-minute slots for debates in the Dáil, as these are clearly inadequate. I agree entirely with Deputy McGrath that there is no need for so many guillotines. It definitely goes against the grain of what was promised by this Government by way of "democratic revolution", etc. I will raise those points at this stage rather than repeating them as we get to each guillotined matter.

I was going to say to Deputies McGrath and McDonald that both of them are referring to proposals Nos. 5, 6 and 7.

Is the proposal for dealing with No. 15, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the report by the Minister for Defence regarding service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations in 2014, No. 16, motion re the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2015, and Nos. 16a and 16b, motions re leave to introduce and referral of Supplementary Estimates without debate, agreed to? Agreed.

Is the proposal for dealing with No. 17, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the economic partnership agreement between CARIFORUM states and the EC and its member states, and No. 18, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the economic partnership agreement between the west African states, ECOEAS and UEMOA and the EU and its member states, agreed to?

To reiterate, while it is welcome that there is debate on these matters, 20 minutes is inadequate for agreements such as these. They should be properly scrutinised. It is almost cynical to allow a tokenistic slot of time to tick a box in order that there is some debate, but then to guillotine it after 20 short minutes. We object on that basis.