As the Taoiseach will be aware, there are many Private Members' Bills from all sides of the House backed up and not being discussed. Many will never get to see the light of day. In view of that, could the Taoiseach explain why a Private Members' Bill in the name of myself and Deputy Mary Butler has been allocated two hours tomorrow afternoon when there is a similar Bill in the name of another party, namely Sinn Féin, already at Committee Stage? I am proposing to withdraw my Bill. It is a gross waste of the House's time to discuss the same legislation twice. As I said, the other Bill has gone to Committee Stage. Perhaps the Chief Whip or somebody could explain to me how this occurred.

While I have the Taoiseach's attention, there is a section in the supply and confidence agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael which states that all Opposition Members' Bills that have been passed at Second Stage should be sent to Committee Stage within ten weeks. Would the Taoiseach agree with me that that commitment is not being honoured?

I do not control the draw that takes place for Private Members' Bills. One of the changes brought about in this particular Dáil was the right of backbench or Opposition Deputies to produce Private Members' Bills. The Ceann Comhairle wrote to me last week to have a meeting next week about this matter with the chairs of the committees, because there are 140 Bills backed up currently. On the number that have been taken by Government, whereas the intent of the Private Members' Bill might be very good, it does not make it into a Bill that is fit for purpose. The central idea might be correct, but Government and Departments have had to do extensive work in working with and amending those Private Members' Bills to make them suitable to go through the pre-legislative scrutiny and eventually to be passed here. I do not know why a second Bill is down for discussion. I assume the right was there to withdraw this, if I am correct. The Ceann Comhairle might deal with that.

I can answer that question. It was selected because it was put into the lottery by the Fianna Fáil Party.

Can I suggest to the Ceann Comhairle that we use the time more constructively to discuss some other thing that otherwise would not be discussed?

Perhaps, but I cannot make that decision. The reason it was selected is because it was requested to be included in the lottery.

The people who were selecting will have known that the other Bill had gone to Committee Stage anyway.

We will see what can be done.

Would it be possible for amendments to be put to the other Bill at Committee Stage and for it to be dealt with that way?

It would.