The business this week shall be as set out in the first revised report of the Business Committee, dated 30 May 2019. In relation to today's business, it is proposed that No. 11, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the enhanced partnership and co-operation agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Cuba, referral to committee, shall be taken without debate; and No. 34, statements on Northern Ireland shall conclude within 85 minutes if not previously concluded. Statements 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, of ten minutes each with a five-minute response by a Minister or Minister of State and all Members may share time.

In relation to Wednesday’s business, it is proposed that expressions of sympathy shall be taken after Leaders' Questions for a period not exceeding 15 minutes each, and shall be followed by Questions on Promised Legislation and contributions shall not exceed two minutes each. Nos. 12 and 13, motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009, continuance of certain provisions, shall be discussed together and shall be brought to a conclusion within 85 minutes if not previously concluded and any division demanded thereon shall be taken immediately. 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, and shall not exceed ten minutes each with a five-minute response from a Minister or Minister of State and all Members may share time.

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed for No. 37, statements on sustainable tourism, that statements of a Minister or Minister of State and the main spokespersons for parties and groups, or a Member nominated in their stead, shall not exceed ten minutes each with five minutes for all other Members and a five-minute response by a Minister or Minister of State and all Members may share time.

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

I object to the schedule for today's business if it does not include provision to discuss the HSE decision to suspend the allocation of new home help hours for the next five months. The action taken by the HSE is contrary to the programme for Government and the HSE's own service plan and needs to be reversed immediately. It will have a serious impact on the health service and a devastating impact on older people and carers.

I ask that consideration be given by the Business Committee within the week to a special debate on the home care issue. The Taoiseach's earlier replies seemed to indicate a lack of understanding as to what is going on when one drills into the figures. I instance the Tyco ruling of the European Court of Justice. According to the Taoiseach, the programme for Government allows a million extra hours. The Tyco ruling means that the time it takes for home help to get to a client's location is now factored in. The allocated funding has to take account of that. That was not provided for last year.

It is eating up much of the time. We need an honest and transparent debate to drill through the figures and issues relating to home help care to get a better understanding. A debate should be facilitated this week in the House for that purpose because Deputies are inundated with calls from all over the countryon the issue and the degree to which it is impacting on people. It takes a bit longer for that message to get through to the Government, but that is what is happening.

The Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment was due to deal with Committee Stage of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018 today. Instead, at 3 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment to consider the approach the Government has taken to block the Bill. This matter is related to the Order of Business. To help the committee in its work, I ask the Ceann Comhairle whether we can seek advice from the Office of the Parliamentary Legal Advisers, OPLA, regarding the constitutional position the Government has taken in this case, which I believe breaches the rights of Deputies and Senators to go about their work in the way set out in the Constitution. I am keen to know whether that legal advice is available before the committee meeting commences because I think what the Government has done is constitutionally flawed. It has treated the Oireachtas and the representatives of the people in a way that is the worst egregious example of blocking our ability to do our work.

Sinn Féin supports the call for a special debate on the allocation of home help hours because the response given by the Taoiseach to Deputy McDonald indicates that there is not a full understanding on the Government side of the implications or the difference between the money allocated and hours delivered. Many Deputies have discussed this issue with me and I presume they have also petitioned the Office of the Ceann Comhairle. It would be in order for the Business Committee to reconvene and schedule time for that debate.

The Labour Party strongly supports the holding of a debate on this matter. The responses given by the Taoiseach do not meet the concerns that all Members are hearing in their constituencies and from organisations lobbying for carers.

A large number of Deputies today submitted Topical Issue matters dealing with home care and, as such, it was not practical to consider it in that way. I wrote back to them that we would ask the Business Committee to consider scheduling time to look at this matter. If there is agreement on all sides, we will request that the committee contact the relevant representatives to see whether the debate can be facilitated. Is the Chief Whip happy with that?

Having considered the schedule, I am happy to accommodate such a debate immediately after the sos on Thursday.

How long will be allocated for the debate?

We will work that out. As long as is necessary will be allocated, within reason.

On the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill, it is open to any committee to seek the advice of the OPLA. That is what it is there for. However, I do not think advice is needed from any quarter on the decision that a money message is required. The determination has been made that a money message is required and there is no way around that.

Is Tuesday's business agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Wednesday's business agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Thursday's business agreed to?