You are playing politics now.

What is the Minister of State proposing at this point? Is she proposing that we suspend the House?

What about the rest of the Order of Business?

I propose that the Business Committee meet to discuss the timings around statements on this very important issue.

Yes, but I presume we will do that in the course of the day. You are not proposing-----

I can come back to do that. If the Business Committee wants to meet and agree a time, I can come back in and propose a motion.

But what about the rest of the Order of Business?

What about-----

You only want to play politics.

Stop, please, Deputy.

We can proceed with-----

It is obvious.

Please, Deputy.

-----the rest of the order, as scheduled.

She is amending the business of the day.

Please let me clarify with the Government Chief Whip.

Thank you.

Are you proposing that we suspend pending-----

I want to move the schedule as agreed at the Business Committee, but I think it would be important that the Business Committee would meet to discuss this important issue of statements.

A Cheann Comhairle-----

A Cheann Comhairle-----

Wait now. Do not all start at the one time. To be clear, the Chief Whip is proposing the Order of Business as originally put to us but she wants-----

To change it.

-----the Business Committee to meet to amend it.

Yes.

Okay.

She wants to have her cake and eat it.

The proposal is perfectly reasonable.

A Cheann Comhairle-----

We will take Sinn Féin, please. I will take everybody in order.

Well, am I speaking to the Order of Business or-----

The Order of Business, yes.

Thank you. First of all, if you will indulge me, a Cheann Comhairle, if the Government wants to schedule statements on the important issues of child protection and safeguarding, that is in its gift. I want to be clear that, for our part, these unauthorised references to which the Minister of State has referred were unacceptable and reprehensible.

Action has been taken. The two individuals concerned have lost their jobs and are no longer members of Sinn Féin, and that is as it should be. We take these matters very, very seriously indeed. I have taken swift action by way of response. In the course of our statements, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the parties of Government will have to also make clear what sanctions they have adopted in cases in which very senior members of their parties have written character references for convicted rapists and child abusers.

References enabled further access to children.

I will be interested to hear what action you took. I am sure the parties will avail of that opportunity.

Those references enabled access for a paedophile to children in sight of Deputy McDonald's leadership.

We will wait to see what the Government will do on that. Transparency goes both ways, ladies and gentlemen.

Do not try to bully us on this.