Today's business shall be No. 9, motion re exchange of views with H. E. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission; No. 10, motion re position of UK and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice, referral to committee; No. 11, motion re apology for persons convicted of consensual same-sex sexual acts and statement of values, to conclude within 85 minutes, if not previously concluded; and No. 27, Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017 - Report and Final Stages, resumed, if not previously concluded. Private Members' business shall be No. 185, motion re Dublin Fire Brigade, selected by Fianna Fáil.

Wednesday's business shall be No. 1, Childcare Support Bill 2017 - amendments from the Seanad, resumed, if not previously concluded; No. 27, Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017 - Report and Final Stages, resumed, if not previously concluded; No. 51, Intoxicating Liquor (Breweries and Distilleries) Bill 2016, introduced by Deputy Alan Kelly - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 28, summer economic statement. Private Members' business shall be No. 186, motion re health waiting lists, selected by Sinn Féin.

Thursday's business shall be an exchange of views with H. E. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, joint sitting of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann; and the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017, No. 52 – Second Stage of which shall be debated in the evening slot.

In relation to today's business, it is proposed that:

(1) motion re exchange of views with H. E. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, and motion re the position of the UK and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice, referral to committee, shall be taken without debate and any division demanded shall be taken immediately; and

(2) The motion re Apology for Persons Convicted of Consensual Same-Sex Sexual Acts and Statement of Values shall conclude within 85 minutes, if not previously concluded. Speeches shall be confined to a single round for a Minister or Minister of State and the main spokespersons for parties and groups, or a Member nominated in their stead, for a period not exceeding ten minutes, with a five minute response from a Minister or Minister of State and all Members may share time.

In relation to Wednesday’s business, it is proposed that:

(1) Report and Final Stages of the Intoxicating Liquor (Breweries and Distilleries) Bill 2016 shall be taken in Government time; and

(2) the Summer economic statements shall be brought to a conclusion after three hours, if not previously concluded. The statements of a Minister or Minister for State and the main spokespersons, or a Member nominated in their stead, shall not exceed ten minutes each, with a second round of 30 minutes in total for members of the Government, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, to be divided proportionally on a 40/40/20 basis respectively, with five minutes for all other Members, a ten minute response from a Minister or Minister of State and all Members may share time. If the statements conclude before 10.15 p.m., the order shall resume thereafter.

In relation to Thursday’s business, it is proposed that:

(1) Leaders’ Questions shall be taken at 2.30 p.m. and oral Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht shall take place on the conclusion of Questions on Promised Legislation and shall be followed by Topical Issues. There shall be no suspension of the sitting under Standing Order 25(1)(b). Notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, any division which would normally be taken at the weekly division time on Thursday 21 June 2018 shall be taken in the weekly division time on Thursday 28 June 2018; and

(2) the Dáil shall sit later than 7.48 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of the proceedings on Second Stage of the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017.

Is the proposal for dealing with Tuesday's business agreed?

I wish to raise a matter. It is absolutely vital that we ask the Business Committee to alter the schedule to take into account the dominant issue on our television screens over the last few days, namely the separation of children from their parents and the putting of those children into cages under the new immigration policy of the US President, Mr. Donald Trump. It has horrified the entire nation and the world. It has also horrified the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade who tweeted about it but we need a little bit more than a tweet. We need this Parliament to send a message that we do not agree with this policy.

We cannot have a debate on it now. The Deputy has made her point.

I suggest that we ask the Taoiseach to withdraw the invitation to Mr. Trump to visit this country and that we support the protest that will take place at 5 p.m. this evening at the US embassy. I also suggest that tomorrow, instead of Topical Issues, we schedule a debate on this issue. It is important that we give the Tánaiste a chance to carry out-----

The Deputy has made her point. Deputy McDonald, please.

Everybody has been deeply shocked by the images of small, distressed children being separated from their parents and being held in what can only be described as cages. It is unconscionable and mind boggling that this would be a policy and practice pursued by any civilised administration. I note that the Tánaiste has commented appropriately on the issue on Twitter but I agree with Deputy Coppinger that we should reflect on this and that a message should be sent from this Chamber to the American Administration that those practices are abhorred by all of us, are absolutely unacceptable and should cease.

I support the call from Deputy Coppinger for the House to take a stand on this issue. Most of us thought that things could not get any worse but this new low, involving the separation of infants and toddlers from their parents in order to intimidate the parents, is shocking. We must be very clear in the stance taken across all benches in this House and we must make our views known to the United States.

It is our view that we should agree an all-party motion on this matter which can be put to the House. Such a motion may have already been circulated or is on its way.

We should do that because this is a reprehensible policy. We should not have a debate on it tomorrow instead of Topical Issue matters. Topical Issue matters should be preserved to give backbenchers an opportunity to raise issues. We should agree an extra time slot and if that means sitting a bit longer, so be it. It is important to have a cross-party perspective on this matter to give the US Government a very clear message that it is unacceptable. It should be communicated Government to Government and Parliament to Parliament that we find this degradation and undermining of basic children's rights reprehensible.

On behalf of the Social Democrats, I agree with other speakers that it is important for us to have an opportunity to express our abhorrence at the appalling civil rights violations that are perpetrated against people coming to the US across the Mexican border. It is important for an all-party motion to be agreed by this House. Deputies should have an opportunity to express their abhorrence at what is happening. It would be appropriate for the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach to call in the American ambassador to convey the strength of the feelings of public representatives in this country. I hope that could be done at an early stage.

On behalf of the Rural Independent Group, I agree that we should have a debate on this appalling issue. We believe the House should have a wider debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the ongoing persecution of Christians and Muslim minorities. We seem to give-----

What has that got to do with this issue?

We should have a debate on that before the summer recess.

This is about Mexico.

Having written to the US ambassador this morning, it would be very appropriate for the House to discuss this matter. I ask the Business Committee to convene to see whether a suitable slot can be assigned. An all-party motion would be warranted.

Is the Taoiseach amenable to this proposal?

Absolutely. The eyes of the world are on the US at the moment. No one can defend the scenes of children being forcibly separated from their parents. We know from dark chapters in our history how lasting can be the consequences of separating children from their parents and how it can damage them for their entire lives. Like most in this House, I love America and I am very fond of it. I am always reminded of the words that are written on the Statue of Liberty:

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

It seems to me that America, more and more, is departing from its own values. An all-party motion is appropriate and I would support that. We will convey our grave concern to the acting US ambassador as soon as possible. Perhaps the Business Committee can discuss the arrangements for the all-party motion.

We will ask the Business Committee to arrange that. Are we saying the motion should be taken today or tomorrow?

As soon as possible.

We will try for today or tomorrow. It will be organised between today and tomorrow.

Tomorrow is probably more realistic.

Okay. Is today's business agreed to? Agreed. Is Wednesday's business agreed to? Agreed. Is Thursday's business, with a slight amendment that Leaders' Questions shall be taken at 2.45 p.m., agreed to? Agreed. I call Deputy Micheál Martin on promised legislation.