May I come in on Thursday's business?

No. We will get to Thursday's in a minute.

It is on the same issue.

Go on. The Deputy might as well.

It relates to the Brexit debate. I said this before Christmas. We have a difficulty, as a party with up to 45 Deputies, with a pattern that has developed. My understanding was that a conclusion had arisen out of the Dáil reform committee that proportionate time would be allocated to the larger parties that would allow those parties to come back in a second time on substantive debates. Deputy Ryan is correct to stand up for the rights of Members of Parliament. I am standing up for the rights of the members of my parliamentary party. I signalled this before Christmas. A pattern has developed whereby there is a set 15 minutes for a party with 45 Deputies and a set 15 minutes for a party or grouping with two or three Deputies.

The Deputy is trying to squeeze out the Independents.

No, I am not at all.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are the one party now.

What emerged from the reform committee was that-----

Put them in together - full stop.

-----there would be a second opportunity for Members of the larger parties to contribute to a debate, but the debates have been shortened. The Government's initial proposal of a five-minute speech from each of the main representatives of each party on Brexit was insulting to the Dáil. It was just pathetic. This is the defining issue of our time, and the Government was offering five minutes to each party. Obviously, I do not mind any party having a say and an opportunity, but we have 45 Deputies. There must be some degree of proportionality. D'Hondt does not apply to debating time; it applies to everything else. I say this only in the interests of fairness and objectivity. A Brexit spokesman can get into a debate but a spokesman on foreign affairs, finance, social protection or agriculture cannot.

I must say, I agree.

The Taoiseach agrees but he never does anything about it. The idea of 15-----

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are all the one now.

It is a very shortened-----

You scratch my back, I scratch yours.

With the greatest of respect, Deputy Healy-Rae's back has been well scratched by the reforms. Dáil reform has been beneficial to all and sundry, and this Dáil has been the fairest to all parties, irrespective of size-----

But not fair enough to the Deputy's party.

-----and no one can contradict that. What has happened here because of Dáil reform since the 2016 general election is unprecedented. That at least should be acknowledged and put on the record. However, there is a need for balance. We all agree with the use of D'Hondt in the allocation of Members to committees.

The time on Leaders' Questions-----

The same should apply to the backbenchers of large parties who are equally entitled to have some say on debates that are defining for this country and Europe.

The Deputy's point is well made. Proportionality was at the core of what was decided in respect of reform and speaking times. Let us bring forward the Business Committee meeting that was proposed for tomorrow. Let us have it this afternoon and consider the points made by Deputy Micheál Martin and others and supported, I think, by the Taoiseach.

Not by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

I have no issue with this. To my knowledge, it has not been raised at the Business Committee during my time on it over the past few months.

The Chief Whip is right about that.

It is right and proper that we do it but this protocol preceded me and was agreed by the Business Committee before Christmas on similar issues and was put forward for the incorporeal meeting.

I raised it.

We will have our Business Committee-----

With respect, the Ceann Comhairle asked for the Business Committee to discuss the issue Deputy Micheál Martin raised. The substantive issue is that we address this issue with seriousness-----

And we will discuss the issue.

-----and urgency. I am asking for clarification that the proposal we made before the Business Committee, and that I make again, that the debate on the preparedness for a no-deal Brexit take place on Wednesday, will also be discussed.

Yes.