Can we have quiet please? I call Deputy McDonald.

If there was any doubt as to the Taoiseach's ambiguity, shall we say, around the need for accountability among his members and his ministerial team, he has certainly played his hand now.

Hear, hear.

The very idea that members of the Government - members of the Cabinet - would not present themselves here and make themselves amenable to reasonable questions from the Opposition is absolutely unacceptable. Try as the Taoiseach may to muddy the waters or distract, he will fail because ultimately he is in government. Members of the Government are the decision-makers and they are answerable to and accountable to this House and to the Opposition. We ask again that the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, take questions, as Deputy Shortall has very reasonably set out, deal with the matters at hand and clarify matters. That is a responsibility he has-----

The Deputy has made her point.

-----as a member of Government.

Let us not all start-----

On a point of order-----

No, there is no-----

Six or seven minutes per Opposition speaker-----

Yes.

Please-----

-----would allow time for questions and answers from the Minister.

If the proposal from Deputy Shortall was to be taken, it would require an order of the House to be made.

So make it.

Make the order.

Please let the Taoiseach respond.

I saw plenty of Members in the Opposition nodding when I said I believe that accountability applies to everyone - Government and Opposition and Independents - but it is clear that Deputy McDonald does not think so.

Davos.

She should be willing to make a statement in this House-----

I have broken no rules.

Come on. This is a total distraction.

-----to explain the Dowdall donation - the €1,000 that she declared to be a personal donation and now claims was a donation to the party but has still not returned, even though she should.

They are as bad as each other.

We do not have a statement in the House from Sinn Féin in relation to the two-year gap-----

Wow.

-----between a payment it made to a UK polling company of €7,000-----

That was not a political donation.

-----that was only accounted for when prompted by media query. Why should accountability not apply to all of us equally when it comes to these matters?

It does. We are fully compliant with the rules.

When it comes to matters of ethics and standards, it should apply equally.

What are you hiding from? Why will the Minister not take questions?

Please, Deputy Doherty.

Who paid for the UK polling?

Would Members please be aware that we are returning, that this is our first day back, and that the public are watching this? Will you please behave with a little bit of decorum? There is a business proposal put before us. I am going to put the business proposal to the House now and you are either for it or against it. What is Deputy Shortall's point?

Can we take a reasonable approach to this?

I am trying to do that.

I understand the Ceann Comhairle was asked about that particular Standing Order. Can we set aside the ongoing spat between Fine Gael and Sinn Féin?

Hear, hear.

That is their business. It is nothing to do with the rest of us here. We are talking about the session this evening at 5 o'clock and the need for accountability on the part of the Minister, Deputy Donohoe. The Taoiseach knows that what he is proposing is not satisfactory. Let us try to avoid dividing the House on this-----

Sorry; it is not the Taoiseach who is proposing anything on this. I have been asked in accordance with my discretion. What is being proposed is what I am proposing.

It was a Government request; a Minister's request from the Government.

Yes.

We have put a reasonable request to the Taoiseach to allow for that accountability so that we have back-and-forth and it is not a case of banking questions where the Minister may or may not answer them in the wrap-up. That is entirely unsatisfactory. I think the Taoiseach would accept that if he was on this side of the House. To avoid dividing the House, can we be reasonable about this? Can the Government show it is serious about accountability and agree this? It may need a change in the order but let us do that. It can be done fairly quickly. I suggest that here could be reasonable sessions, say seven or eight minutes, for each Opposition party to use its slot for a back-and-forth with the Minister.

I proposed five minutes. There does not seem to be a whole lot of difference.

It is the back-and-forth.

A Cheann Comhairle-----

It is the back-and-forth that is required, not the banking of questions. In all fairness, I would ask the Taoiseach to consider that reasonable proposal from the Opposition.

Deputy Boyd Barrett, very briefly.

Will the Taoiseach confirm he is willing to allow a debate on the Coillte issue? I asked at the Business Committee and the members of the Opposition all agreed that they want a Dáil debate next week.

That is clear.

Will the Taoiseach confirm that he will facilitate that debate?

I have confirmed with the Whip that we can commit to a Dáil debate on the issue of Coillte. It has to be scheduled but we can do that. I am happy for that to take place.

On the other matter, I think the proposal of the Ceann Comhairle is a reasonable one. The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, will make a statement. Members can then ask questions and he will reply to those questions. I do not think that a politically charged Chamber such as this is the place for-----

Accountability.

-----cross-examination and doing the work that is rightfully the work of an independent body such as the standards commission.

The Taoiseach did it himself. When he leaked the document, he took questions.