I would like formally to object to the proposal for the Dáil to rise until 7 November. The House has only sat for six weeks since the beginning of this session.

There is a lot of legislation, as we have said, to the Government mid-term and the summer. This includes the Technological Universities Bill and the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. I take it that it is not the fault of the Oireachtas but it has not yet been produced by Government. However, I think it is excessive. That is my genuine view and I have been saying it to Deputies for quite some time. The Dáil should reconvene on Wednesday, 1 November and Thursday, 2 November, which used to be a normal occurrence after bank holiday weekends. It seems to me that there is a tendency for the Dáil to sit less and less as we go on. There may be a reason for that and Government may acquiesce in it for its reasons. We have a lot of work to do and we are not going to get it all done if it is to be sandwiched in on Wednesdays and Thursdays every week.

Particularly if the Taoiseach is going off-----

That is just not possible in terms of the timelines.

If we could sit on Mondays and Fridays-----

People talk about industrial disputes but we cannot deal with everything on Thursday. We just cannot do it and I do not see why we do not come back until 7 November. That is just a view.

Why did the Deputy not raise this sooner? He could have raised this four weeks ago.

We did. The Whip would have written to the Business Committee as far back as 22 September on the issue.

Yes. Then it was agreed four weeks ago.

If the Taoiseach stayed around a bit more-----

We have clearly signalled this and the Chief Whip knows that. It is not a surprise to him and it should not be a surprise to him.

It has not been raised since.

There is a letter here. It was written on 22 September.

The Minister to respond.

These issues have been discussed and debated at the Business Committee. There was an agreement by consensus at the Business Committee and that is where we should leave it.

Not on this.

We made our position clear.

It was agreed. The issue did come up but it was agreed. What about the staff who have booked holidays? What about all the other staff whose plans have been thrown into disarray just for grandstanding here by Deputy Martin? That is all it is. Grandstanding of the highest order.

Deputy Mattie McGrath will win that race.

Let us not have that sort of accusation being made. Let me make it clear that the Business Committee discussed the matter, that reservations were expressed about the Hallowe'en break, that agreement was reached by a majority of members of the Business Committee and that a calendar was produced. The intention was that the Members and staff of the Houses would know well in advance the schedule of work until Christmas. That was what was done.

There is no less sitting time this year.

On Deputy Mick Barry's proposal, I will ask the secretariat to the Business Committee to write to the other Members in relation to the two issues he has raised and we will revert to him. In light of that, is the proposal for dealing with Thursday's business agreed to?

We are formally objecting.