Craoladh i dtaobh Ghnó na Seachtaine: is mar a leagtar amach é sa Tríú Tuarascáil Athbhreithnithe ón gCoiste Gnó dar dáta an 25 Márta 2019 a bheidh gnó na seachtaine seo.

Craoladh i dtaobh Socruithe Beartaithe i gcomhair ghnó na seachtaine seo: I ndáil leis an ngnó Dé Céadaoin, beartaítear: (1) Go dtógfar Mír a11, Tairiscint chun Treoir a thabhairt don Choiste ar an mBille um Chlárú Sibhialta, 2019, gan díospóireacht agus go dtógfar láithreach aon vótáil a éileofar ar an gcéanna; agus (2) Go gcuirfear tús le Mír 29, Ráitis tar éis an chruinnithe den Chomhairle Eorpach an 21-22 Márta, de bhun Bhuan-Ordú 111 díreach tar éis Ceisteanna chun an Taoisigh agus cuirfear an suí ar fionraí ina dhiaidh sin faoi Bhuan-Ordú 25(1) ar feadh aon uair an chloig. Tabharfar na Ráitis chun críche tar éis 1 uair an chloig agus 45 nóiméad, mura mbeidh siad críochnaithe roimhe sin, le Ráitis ó Aire nó Aire Stáit agus ó phríomhurlabhraithe na bpáirtithe agus na ngrúpaí, nó ó chomhalta a bheidh ainmnithe ina n-ionad, nach rachaidh thar deich nóiméad i ngach cás. Tógfaidh Aire nó Aire Stáit ceisteanna ar feadh tréimhse nach faide ná 20 nóiméad, agus tabharfaidh Aire nó Aire Stáit freagra cúig nóiméad, agus féadfaidh gach comhalta am a roinnt.

I ndáil leis an ngnó Déardaoin, beartaítear: 1. Go suífidh an Dáil níos déanaí ná 8.03 p.m. agus go mbeidh Saincheisteanna Tráthúla ar siúl ar Gach Céim de Mhír a1, An Bille Iascaigh Mhara (Leasú), 2017 [Seanad], a thabhairt chun críche nó ar 5.25 p.m., cibé acu is déanaí; 2. Go dtógfar Mír 11 gan díospóireacht; agus 3. Go ndéanfar na himeachtaí ar an Dara Céim de Mhír a1 a thabhairt chun críche tar éis dhá uair an chloig, mura mbeidh siad críochnaithe roimhe sin, agus go dtógfar láithreach aon vótáil a éileofar ar an Dara Céim a chríochnú. Ní rachaidh Ráitis ó Aire nó Aire Stáit agus ó phríomhurlabhraithe na bpáirtithe nó na ngrúpaí, nó ó chomhalta a bheidh ainmnithe ina n-ionad, thar deich nóiméad i ngach cás, le deich nóiméad do gach comhalta eile agus tabharfaidh Aire nó Aire Stáit freagra cui nóiméad, agus féadfaidh gach comhalta am a roinnt. Tabharfar na himeachtaí ar Chéim an Choiste agus ar na Céimeanna Eile chun críche le haon cheist amháin tar éis aon uair an chloig, mura mbeidh siad críochnaithe roimhe sin, agus ní bheidh iontu, i ndáil le leasuithe, ach na cinn sin a bheidh arna gcur síos nó arna nglacadh ag an Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara.

Go raibh maith agat. In light of that report, there are two proposals to put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with Wednesday's business agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Thursday's business agreed to?

I have a difficulty with the proposal for Thursday's business, which the Labour Party representative on the Business Committee, Deputy Brendan Ryan, raised at the most recent meeting. It is proposed to take all Stages of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017 in three hours on Thursday. This Bill was introduced two years ago and was put on hold at that stage. The Bill is currently still before the Seanad and I understand that clarification is to be provided by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in that House tonight. Letters are to be read into the record and so forth. In that context, it is entirely unacceptable that we would schedule legislation before it has concluded in the Upper House, particularly when that legislation is contentious. This Bill was withdrawn two years ago and for the benefit of those who do not understand, it aims to put a legal form of voisinage in place, that is, a neighbourhood agreement between Northern Ireland and the Republic in terms of sea fisheries. The idea of fast-tracking it was to have it completed in advance of the exit of Britain from the EU, which was expected this Friday but that is not going to happen now. We have some time to deal with this legislation and my party is seeking clarification on a number of points. I ask the Taoiseach to allow some reflection on all of this. It is something about which we can build consensus in this House because a neighbourhood agreement is important. The Taoiseach already stated earlier that the Government is preparing to compensate fishermen in this State in the event that they are excluded from UK waters. I ask that we would not schedule all Stages of this Bill this week. Perhaps we could deal with Second Stage on Thursday, but we should not conclude the Bill-----

Let us ask the Chief Whip if-----

It is a matter for the Business Committee rather than the Government, of course.

It is Government Business.

This is, of course, a matter for the Business Committee but I would like to comment, if I may. This is about restoring the status quo ante. It is about restoring an arrangement that existed-----

That was knocked down by the courts-----

I know. We want to restore the status quo ante to what existed from the 1960s until 2016, which was reciprocal rights. At the moment, vessels from the Republic of Ireland can travel north into Northern Irish waters and fish within the six-mile limit but vessels from Northern Ireland cannot do the reverse.

That might not be true after Brexit.

That is not right. We should not have a hard border on the land or in the sea. In terms of basic fairness, we should have reciprocal rights.

Has the Taoiseach read the High Court judgment delivered last Friday?

No.

The judgment said that considerable damage was done-----

The original court judgment-----

We need debating time.

The original judgment recommended putting legislation in place and that is what we are doing.

Allow the Chief Whip, please.

This matter was raised by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, prior to the recent break. It was sent out and scheduled by the Business Committee over the break as well. The Taoiseach has outlined the reasons behind it. On departure from the EU, access to fisheries in UK waters, as a third country, will be a matter for the EU to negotiate on Ireland's behalf. If the voisinage arrangements are operational at the time of departure, which would require successful enactment of this Bill, it is likely that the EU will recognise the arrangements as pre-existing and bilateral. This is a Brexit imperative and that is why the Business Committee agreed that it would be fast-tracked. I accept that it is only being dealt with in the Seanad today.

My point is that it will not happen by this Friday.

The intention was to ensure that it would be passed by 29 March, which was the original Brexit date.

It is no longer the date of Brexit. I ask again that we take Second Stage this Thursday and take Committee Stage and Report Stage next week when we have had time to reflect further on it.

Is the Government conceding on this? It is business in Government time.

The Business Committee has decided on it.

It does not know what it is doing.

Yes, the Business Committee has decided on it.

The Rural Independent Group did not agree with the decision. We support Deputy Howlin in his bid.

We will do a ring around of the Business Committee this afternoon to clarify what is the position.

Was there not a decision taken by the Business Committee?

There was, but a lot of decisions have been taken by the Business Committee.

I know, but there should be a proposition put to the House that should be taken.

Has any Member a proposition to put to the House?

The Business Committee has.

I have made a proposition to the House: that we take Second Stage this Thursday and allow the follow through next week. There is no imperative because Brexit will not happen on Friday, which is why the Friday date was originally put in.

There is no rush about this.

There is as much clarity-----

The ring around was made and it was agreed by the majority of the Business Committee to schedule as is.

Can another ring around be done?

Okay. It was agreed to schedule as is. I put it to Deputy Howlin that the position is that he can vote against the proposal. Is the proposal for taking Thursday's business-----

It is all well and good for the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, to be so flippant with the livelihood of fishermen-----

There are a lot of people involved in this and a lot of fishermen. It is not just-----

Please Deputies.

There are 21 minutes remaining and 21 Deputies offering. I ask Members who are not participating to vacate the House quietly, please.