Standing Order 156 changes
Deputy Coppinger warned that proposed Standing Order changes would reduce speaking time on Report Stage and restrict Members’ ability to debate legislation. The Taoiseach defended the change as a practical response to long, obstructive debates and said it had already been agreed by committee.
The issue that I wanted to raise pertained to the Order of Business and many Members may not have been aware of it. The Dáil reform committee has proposed to change Standing Order 156. It is being proposed that this matter will be taken without debate, but we cannot agree to that. While it was agreed at the committee, Members should be alerted to what it means. Speaking times on amendments would be reduced on Report Stage to seven minutes and two minutes, respectively. This is an incursion into Members' ability to give considered opinions on what can be important legislation.
The proposal should not go through without debate and time should be set aside for it. That is what I was going to raise. The other issue-----
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You are being very proper, a Cheann Comhairle.
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It is a practical matter. We have had occasions in the past where Report Stage of Bills has drifted interminably, deliberately so. This matter has already been agreed by the Dáil Reform Committee and by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and it is in the interests of everybody to be able to move through Report Stage without hindering people of the opportunity to have their say but to do so in a decent fashion that allows them the time to say what they want to say.