No. 12a, motion re citizens' assembly, deals with a very important issue. Only 45 minutes has been allocated to discuss this new initiative to deliberate on the eight amendment and also, it seems, three other items, but it is not clear whether they will be discussed at the same time, in other words, simultaneously, or one after the other. The allocation of time with five minutes per group to discuss such an important issue is completely outrageous. I ask the Tánaiste, in particular, to agree to extend the time allocated to debate this matter.

On a point of information, that is not a matter for the Tánaiste as the proposal has already been agreed to by the Business Committee.

It was not agreed to as opposition was voiced to it at the meeting.

Yes, of course, it was.

May I make my point?

Yes.

Opposition was voiced at the meeting and I am bringing the matter to the Dáil because we were ignored at the meeting, as it seems we were in a minority. I am asking the House - I will put it to a vote - to extend the time allocated to debate this topic.

Excuse me, but the Deputy is wrong. It is fundamentally wrong for her to say anyone was ignored at the Business Committee; no one is ever ignored.

Okay. Are we in a position, for example, to bring forward amendments to the motion? Very important amendments need to be made to it. For example, it is not clear whether voters in local elections, non-citizens, will be included in the citizens' assembly. It is also not clear whether any account will be taken of issues being discussed? For example, if the issue is the eight amendment, will there be any weighting on the basis of gender, or if the issue is a matter which concerns the elderly, will the membership comprise members of the elderly population? This initiative represents a complete outsourcing of decisions on key issues that should be made in the Dáil.

This is a farce. If the House does not agree to extend the debating time, it will be clear that it is just a ruse to get the Government off the hook about taking a decision on the eighth amendment and to delay it further down the road.

The Deputy has made her point.

I am asking for much more time. We want to put down amendments and to have time to hear them. Will they be heard?

Does the Tánaiste want to make any brief response?

This is an issue for the Business Committee.

Yes.

It was discussed at the Business Committee. Legislation has to go through in regard to selecting the citizens who will be part of the assembly. It follows the methodology for the selection of citizens for the first convention that was held. That is the primary purpose of the discussion on Thursday. I am in the Ceann Comhairle's hands as to further time if the House decides to have it.

It does not look like the Water Services (Amendment) Bill will take up all of the allotted time because all the amendments have been ruled out of order bar one. Dealing with the technicalities of the electoral commission may not take up that time either. I ask that we extend the actual motion time to allow amendments to be put and debated.

That will have to be considered by the committee.

This could come up tomorrow night.

That is a matter for the Business Committee.

It can be considered by the Business Committee.

When will it be considered? The committee will not meet until Thursday, but this could come up tomorrow night.

We can consider it before Thursday. I will have to put the question because we cannot be going over and over this.

I am going to put it to a vote then.

Can those in favour of the proposal-----

If the Ceann Comhairle is saying the Business Committee can meet to discuss this and if there is time available in the Dáil for further discussion where other legislation takes less time, I am sure there would be no disagreement about extending the time to have a fuller discussion of the motion if the time is too short.

It has to be the Business Committee that decides it.

The Business Committee decides, yes.

The Business Committee can review this tomorrow, but I cannot tell the Deputy what the outcome of the review will be. We will review it tomorrow, however.

The point, surely-----

Here is Brendan to save the day for us.

There is a fair point to be made about time. If there is time available, let us consider that. However, we are supposed to do this in a collective way.

Yes.

Surely, the point is that if we call a vote now, that will decide the matter and pre-empt any possibility of additional time.

Absolutely.

That is impeccable logic from Deputy Howlin.

I will leave it up to the good judgment of the Business Committee to recognise that a lot of people are watching this.

We do not need a speech on it now.

The Ceann Comhairle has told us this is the only show in town. Give us time.

Is the proposal for Thursday agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for Friday's sitting agreed to?