I call the Government Chief Whip, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne, to announce the Order of Business.

Today's business shall be No. 15, motion re parliamentary question rota swops: (i) Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Education and Skills; (ii) Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Communications, Climate Action and Environment; and (iii) Departments of Finance and Rural and Community Development; No. 1, Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018 [Seanad] - Second Stage; and No. 10, National Surplus (Reserve Fund for Exceptional Contingencies) Bill 2018 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. Private Members' business shall be No. 210, motion re rural crime, selected by the Rural Independent Group.

Wednesday's business shall be No. 16, motion re Ireland’s ratification and signature of the EU Status of Forces Agreement and the NATO Partnership for Peace - referral to committee; No. 36, Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2018 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 37, Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 1, Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018 [Seanad] - Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded; and No. 10, National Surplus (Reserve Fund for Exceptional Contingencies) Bill 2018 - Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded. Private Members' business shall be No. 211, motion re nurses and midwives, selected by Fianna Fáil.

Thursday’s business shall be No. 38, statements on Government's Brexit preparedness; No. 1, Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2018 [Seanad] - Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded; and No. 10, National Surplus (Reserve Fund for Exceptional Contingencies) Bill 2018 - Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded.

Private Members' business shall be Second Stage of No. 58, Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Restoration of Birthright Citizenship) Bill 2017, selected by Deputy Paul Murphy.

I refer to the third revised report of the Business Committee, dated 15 January 2019. In relation to today's business, it is proposed that No. 15, motion re PQ rota swops for the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Education and Skills, Public Expenditure and Reform and Communications, Climate Action and Environment, and Finance and Rural and Community Development, shall be taken without debate following the Order of Business and that any division demanded thereon shall be taken immediately.

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that No. 16, motion re Ireland's ratification and signature of the EU Status of Forces Agreement and the NATO Partnership for Peace, referral to committee, shall be brought to a conclusion within 45 minutes. Speeches shall be confined to a single round for a Minister or Minister of State and the main spokespersons for each party or group, or a Member nominated in their stead, which shall not exceed five minutes each with a five minute wrap-up from a Minister or Minister of State. All Members may share time and any division demanded thereon shall be taken immediately.

In relation to Thursday’s business, it is proposed that the Topical Issue debate shall commence on the conclusion of statements re Government's Brexit preparedness or at 5 p.m., whichever is the later, and the Dáil shall adjourn following the conclusion of proceedings on No. 38, statements re Government's Brexit preparedness; and No. 38, statements re Government’s Brexit preparedness shall be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours 50 minutes with statements confined to a single round for a Minister or Minister of State and the main spokespersons for each party or group, or a Member nominated in their stead, for a period not exceeding 15 minutes each. Following the opening round, each party or group in Opposition shall have five minutes each which shall consist of alternating questions and answers, with a 15 minute response from the Minister or Minister of State and all Members may share time.

There are three proposals to put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with today's business agreed?

It is not agreed. We saw the Speaker of the House of Commons recently standing up for the rights of the Parliament. I ask that the Ceann Comhairle stand up for the rights of all Members of this Parliament in progressing legislation. In the final days before the break for Christmas, the Government blocked Deputy Bríd Smith's Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018, which deserves to get to Committee Stage, where we can talk about it.

We are dealing with proposals for today's business, not what happened before Christmas.

I object to the Government blocking the Opposition from progressing legislation. It talks about climate but does not do anything. It does not have a legislative programme but blocks Opposition Bills. That Bill was blocked from going to Committee Stage in a way that is fundamentally unconstitutional and against the rights of this House. I ask that the Business Committee look at it as a specific example of how the Government is blocking Opposition legislation that deserves to go to Committee Stage for a hearing. We should not progress any further legislation until the powers of the Opposition are recognised in this Parliament, because we have the numbers. The Government does not have the right to block Bills, not just that Bill but a whole swathe of Bills, of which that is the worst example. I have asked for the Clerk of the Dáil to provide a response on the specifics of what happened on that occasion in the committee when the Bill was blocked. I believe it is not constitutional and I ask that the Business Committee meet to get it put back on the agenda and to allow it to progress to Committee Stage.

We will convene a meeting of the Business Committee to discuss the Deputy's concerns tomorrow but regarding the business before us today, it makes no sense for anyone-----

If we allow that to happen-----

-----to start obstructing legislation. We are here to progress legislation.

I agree. I thank the Ceann Comhairle and look forward to the discussions of that committee.

I ask that the Business Committee consider scheduling time this week or next week for a report from the Minister for Health on how new abortion services are working. The reason is that it is historic legislation but three problems are emerging, including the safety of staff and women attending their own general practitioner, GP, provision-----

We cannot get involved. That is not related to the work that we do.

Can I make my case, which I should be entitled to do for a minute?

The Deputy can make a case about something relevant to what is before us. We are talking about the business for today.

The Ceann Comhairle said the Business Committee was meeting. I will speak on Wednesday if the Ceann Comhairle prefers but thought it would be better to do so now. The Topical Issue debates tomorrow or Thursday could instead be a time where the Minister could come in and report. There are serious issues emerging where women cannot get access because of the opt-in service that is emerging and where 11 weeks is now the new norm in hospitals such as the Rotunda, which is not what people voted for. We need to have a report and discussion in Parliament on it.

The Deputy's representative on the Business Committee can raise that matter tomorrow when the meeting is convened.

All those points taken on board, is today's business as proposed agreed to? Agreed. Is Wednesday's business as proposed agreed to?