I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Instruction to Committee on the Consumer Rights Bill 2022 (without debate) (any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Report Stage of the Bill on Wednesday)

- Motion re Membership of the Joint Committee on Standing Orders relative to Private Business (without debate)

- Motion re Fifteenth Report of the Committee of Selection (without debate)

- Motion re Referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Isle of Man) Order 2022 and the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Guernsey) Order 2022 (without debate)

- EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Second Stage) (to conclude within 220 minutes)

Private Members' Business shall be the Motion re Emergency Budget, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (to be debated together and to conclude within 110 minutes)

- Motion re Opt-in to add the violation of EU restrictive measures (sanctions) to the list of EU crimes (to conclude within 55 minutes)

- EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to be taken no earlier than 4.49 p.m. and to conclude within 90 minutes)

- Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 30 minutes)

- Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Amendments from the Seanad) (to conclude within 30 minutes)

- Consumer Rights Bill 2022 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 45 minutes)

- Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 90 minutes)

Private Members' Business shall be Second Stage of the Autism Bill 2022, selected by the Labour Party.

Thursday's business shall be the Second Stage of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022. Thursday evening's business shall be the Motion re Report entitled ‘Examination of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board 2019 Financial Statements and Related Financial Matters’.

Friday’s business shall be:

- Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022 (Second Stage) (to conclude within 220 minutes)

- Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022 (Second Stage) (to conclude within 220 minutes)

- Health (Exemptions from Charges for Acute In-Patient Services) Bill 2022 (Second Stage) (to conclude within 220 minutes)

Proposed Arrangements for this week's business:

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

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that Government business may continue after 6.12 p.m. in order to allow for the debate on Second Stage of the EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022 to conclude, with consequential effect on the commencement time of the items of business following, as well as on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil, which may be later than 10.30 p.m.;

2. notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 187, the Motion re Instruction to Committee on the Consumer Rights Bill 2022 shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately prior to Report Stage of the Bill on Wednesday;

3. notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 39, the Motion re Membership of the Joint Committee on Standing Orders relative to Private Business shall be taken without debate immediately following the Motion re Instruction to Committee on the Consumer Rights Bill 2022;

4. the Motion re Fifteenth Report of the Committee of Selection shall be taken without debate;

5. the Motion re Referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Isle of Man) Order 2022 and the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Guernsey) Order 2022 shall be taken without debate; and

6. the proceedings on Second Stage of the EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 220 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) debate shall be confined to a single round in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for the first round of debate on Second Stage of a Government Bill, not exceeding 210 minutes;

(ii) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes;

(iii) members may share time; and

(iv) in the event a division is demanded on the Second Stage proceedings, it shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage of the Bill on Wednesday.

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

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) oral Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 46(1) shall not be taken;

(ii) Government business may continue after 8.45 p.m. in order to allow the proceedings on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022 to conclude; and

(iii) the weekly division time may be taken later than 8.45 p.m. and shall, in any event, to be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil, which may be later than 9.30 p.m;

2. notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 170, the proceedings on Second Stage of the Autism Bill shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after two hours;

3. in relation to the Motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009, the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) the motions shall be moved and considered together in one debate;

(ii) the arrangements for the debate shall be in accordance with those agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30 July, 2020, for 100 minutes, following which a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes;

(iii) members may share time; and

(iv) the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 110 minutes, with a separate question on each motion and on any amendments thereto;

4. the proceedings on the Motion re Opt-in to add the violation of EU restrictive measures (sanctions) to the list of EU crimes shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 55 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) the order of speaking and the allocation of speaking times shall be as follows:

- opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State - 10 minutes;

- speech by a representative of Sinn Féin - 10 minutes;

- speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group, and the Independent Group - 5 minutes per party or group; and

- a speech in response by a Minister or Minister of State - 5 minutes; and

(ii) members may share time;

5. proceedings on the EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022 shall be resumed no earlier than 4.49 p.m.; provided that the proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications;

6. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice;

7. the proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad on the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments to the Seanad amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage;

8. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Consumer Rights Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 45 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and

9. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

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

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Social Protection shall be deferred to 14 July, 2022, in place of questions to the Minister for Rural and Community Development, and topical issues pursuant to Standing Order 37 shall not be taken on the conclusion of Government business but shall instead be taken on the conclusion of Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Education;

(ii) if not previously concluded, Government business shall be interrupted at 7.30 p.m.; and

(iii) the Motion re Report entitled "Examination of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board 2019 Financial Statements and Related Financial Matters" shall be taken on the interruption or the conclusion of Government business, whichever is the earlier, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of the motion.

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

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, or the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders, the Dáil shall meet on Friday 1st July, 2022, at 9 a.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Government business, and the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) the proceedings on the Second Stage of any Bill to be taken shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 220 minutes, and speaking arrangements shall be as follows:

- debate shall be confined to a single round in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for the first round of debate on Second Stage of a Government Bill, not exceeding 210 minutes;

- a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

- members may share time;

(ii) in the event a division is demanded on the Second Stage proceedings of any Bill to be taken, it shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage of the Bill; and

(iii) the sitting shall be suspended for 30 minutes immediately prior to taking the last Bill.

Is that agreed?

It is not agreed. At the Business Committee meeting, People Before Profit requested as a matter of urgency that we have an emergency debate before the Dáil goes into summer recess on the housing and homelessness crisis, in particular, family and child homelessness, which has now reached utterly disastrous proportions. I am not exaggerating in saying, if the Taoiseach does not know this already, it has never been this bad; never. Last and this week, families are coming into my clinic where, for the first time ever, the local authority cannot even offer families and children an emergency place, never mind a council house or somewhere near where the kids go to school. They cannot even offer them an emergency hostel. That is how bad it is and it is getting worse. The Government is refusing even to debate it, even though we are due a review of Housing for All. Will the Taoiseach ensure there is an emergency debate on this crisis before the summer recess?

We need an emergency debate on homelessness and the housing crisis. I spoke earlier about the enormous pressure on people trying to find a new home when they have been evicted. We are seeing evictions at a record high. That is a very serious concern.

I would also raise another concern about the ordering of business, which is just the huge number of Bills before this House and the other House. There are nine Bills in each House this week alone. This is a year after President Michael D. Higgins reportedly wrote to you, a Cheann Comhairle, that there were too many Bills being put by Government in the last few weeks of each term. He said that having this vital work concentrated into four weeks of the year struck him as being less than ideal and unnecessary and called for a more orderly approach to the ordering of legislation. We absolutely will support the waiver of pre-legislative scrutiny on important Bills and we have worked with Government on that but it is still not a good way to conduct legislative business. We need to see an end to this practice of last-minute legislation. We need to take account of the President’s concerns about rushed legislation.

I agree with both Deputies. There is an issue that councils are turning people who are homeless away from emergency accommodation now in different parts of the country.

We have been asking for several weeks now for statements on An Bord Pleanála. The Remy Farrell report that has been ordered has been extended, but there is no clarity as to why it has been extended or exactly what it is covering. We do not know, in terms of the long list of allegations that have been made and are in the public domain, which are being investigated and which are not. Many of them relate to two particular board members. We know that one of those is under investigation, but we do not know about the other board member.

We should at the very least have statements from the Minister in the House to clarify all of this and clarify what is happening.

In regard to Dr. Niall Muldoon’s damning report last week on children with special needs, it is scandalous that 4,000 children are waiting for diagnostic assessments to get school places, 15,500 are going to schools outside their own community and 1,500 are receiving home tuition because they cannot get school places. It is only a few months ago that the decision was made by the Government to close an excellently-run intervention unit in Kilbrittain until I interceded and it was stopped. We need a proper debate on this very serious issue. The children of this country cannot be left to continue the way they are in regard to schooling for children with special needs. We need to have a proper debate for the week, not just have it crammed into a Friday evening Dáil debate. I ask the Taoiseach to give a proper debate on this very serious issue.

I fully support the Members who have spoken. Since the Business Committee meeting last week, we have had four or five changes to the business. It makes a mockery of the fact we supposedly have a say in what actually goes on in the House. For that reason, I oppose what is happening today.

My sense is that Members want this to be a debating chamber, not a legislative chamber. If we look at what has happened-----

They want statements on this, that or the other.

So might a backbencher or two.

The Taoiseach without interruption.

I have request after request for statements on this and statements on that, debate on this, debate on that, but to hell with the legislation, we do not want legislation. Deputy Collins does not want to be crammed in on a Friday afternoon.

Not at all. I am talking about children with special needs getting the respect they need.

We have offered three hours on Friday, not about debating endlessly about something-----

Have respect for the children. There is no respect.

-----but about doing something in legislation to improve the admission situation for children with special needs.

The Taoiseach is a commentator.

That is what we want to do. I know Deputy Collins-----

What are we here for? This is outrageous.

If Members do not behave themselves, we are going to suspend the House. Please have a little manners.

Through the Chair, I am making the point that this is a legislative assembly, first and foremost.

We would have to be reminded sometimes.

Its objective is to pass laws. On the idea of nine Bills being appalling, to me, that is a sign of production, productivity, getting work done and getting legislation through.

Let us have some emergency legislation to keep children out of homelessness.

Some emergency legislation is required. That is nothing new. It has happened from time immemorial in terms of emergency legislation being required. However, instead of just having endless debates, we want action as well. We need action in terms of admissions to schools, for fully inclusive principles around children with special needs being admitted to schools, so we do not have a situation where certain schools are doing all the heavy lifting in respect of special needs admissions to our schools.

Stop blaming the DEIS principals.

We need to make up our minds. Deputy Pringle talks about the Business Committee. Invariably, on the Order of Business, there are calls for statements, statements, debates, debates, debates in a very precious timeframe because we do not have an expanded timeframe. This week, we have Friday.

We are supposed to have quarterly reviews of Housing for All but we have not had them.

Deputies, please.

We do not normally sit on a Friday but it seems that the preference is debate, debate, debate, and we push back legislation all of the time.

That is not true.

That balance has to be readjusted. I am saying that from the Government side of the House. I have always consistently, since I was elected to this House, seen it primarily as a legislative assembly. That means we get things done, as opposed to just playing to the gallery all of the time. I am not saying that is what you are all doing from time to time, but there is an element of it, I am afraid. Deputy Collins wins first prize in that regard.

Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

No.

I suggest that Deputies keep their questions to 30 seconds each so that we can try to get everyone in. There will be a maximum of 30 seconds for each question and 30 seconds for each answer.