I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, and unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, the speaking arrangements recommended in the Appendices to the Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform titled 'Speaking time arrangements on the first round of Second Stage of a Bill, and on fixed-time debates', dated 29th July, 2020, be adopted and shall have effect from September, 2020, and such arrangements shall be reviewed by the Committee no later than 22nd December, 2020.

There is an amendment to be considered. Is amendment No. 1 being pressed? Who wants to address amendment No. 1? Insofar as pressing it, the amendment has already been discussed. Is Deputy Mac Lochlainn pressing the amendment?

I am. I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:

"notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, and unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, the following compromise speaking arrangements for Second Stage of a Bill as put forward by Sinn Féin at the meeting of the Business Committee on 30th July, 2020, suggesting:

Government 20 minutes,

Sinn Féin 20 minutes,

all other Groups 10 minutes each,

Government 20 minutes,

Sinn Féin 15 minutes,

all other Groups 10 minutes each, and

Government 5 minutes,

be adopted and shall have effect from September, 2020, and such arrangements shall be reviewed by the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform no later than 22nd December, 2020."

Amendment No. 2 is in the name of the Regional Group. How stands the amendment? Sorry, it is in the name of the Independent Group. Mea maxima culpa.

I am pressing the amendment.

On a point of order-----

What is the Deputy's point of order?

We have an amendment that sought to resolve this situation-----

No, that is not-----

-----and we are not allowed to discuss it at all.

Sorry, Deputy-----

It is a compromise which exposes the dishonesty of the argument that has been put by the other side-----

Please. Deputy Boyd Barrett-----

-----and which actually sought to resolve this situation.

Deputy Boyd Barrett, please resume your seat.

The people deserve to know the dishonesty perpetrated here.

Please resume your seat.

Seriously, the people deserve to know-----

I was not here for the earlier debate, but I know it was extensive. Members have made their points. Please resume your seat. The debate has been had already. Resume your seat, please.

The substance of the-----

Please resume your seat.

They do not know what is going on.

Please resume your seat.

The amendment cannot be discussed-----

Last evening, the penultimate meeting of this session, we saw an extraordinary level of collegiality whereby people agreed. The public will make up their own minds about what they see transpiring here this evening and how they see people behaving. Please. We have procedures. Will you resume your seat?

Ceann Comhairle-----

No, please. Resume your seat.

They do not know what went on-----

Will you resume your seat?

You know that-----

Deputy, you are asked to resume your seat. Please respect the Chair.

I respect the Chair.

I have always respected you. Please extend to the Chair the respect of resuming your seat. We do not need any help from that side.

I respect you.

Let us forget about all that. Resume your seat, Sir.

We have business to do.

It is after 11.30 p.m. It is not a great or wise time to be making decisions. Please do not make me suspend the House.

This is unbelievable.

Please do not make a farce of our Dáil. Resume your seat.

We are back to where we were-----

Please, do not make a farce of our Dáil. Resume your seat. We are involved in a process whether we like it or not. The process, which is a democratic process whether we like it or not, must proceed. Resume your seat.

A process without debate is not a democratic process.

You are completely out of order and I will suspend the House if you insist on continuing to disrupt.

It is not democratic.

I appeal to you again, please, resume your seat.

I cannot stand by while democracy is sabotaged. That is what is happening-----

This is histrionics now at this stage.

It is not-----

Please resume your seat. It is pure histrionics. You have made your substantive point. The public has heard the point you have had to make.

I doubt the public knows-----

Please, resume your seat. Please, do not continue.

If this goes on any longer I will suspend. Please, resume your seat.

The House is suspended for five minutes.

I move amendment No. 2:

To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:

“notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, and unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, the speaking arrangements recommended in the Appendices to the Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform titled ‘Speaking time arrangements on the first round of Second Stage of a Bill, and on fixed-time debates’, dated 29th July, 2020, be amended by the substitution of the tables contained in the Schedule to this amendment with effect from September, 2020, and such arrangements shall be reviewed by the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform no later than 22nd December, 2020.

SCHEDULE

Second Stage Debate

100 minute Debate

135 minute Debate

200 Minute Debate

Shame.