To be of assistance to the House, and if it is okay with the Ceann Comhairle, I will bank my questions with the Minister and accept those answers in writing from his officials later today. The economic and health impact of the Covid-19 crisis is without comparison in the modern world, as we all know. For this reason I believe that we must disregard the conventional approach to the cyclical economic downturn and develop new world solutions that serve the people and not the fiscal templates of pre-crisis and pre-Covi…

I have just two more points. Ireland is just 1.1% of the population of the EU whereas Italy, for example, is nearly 14% and they are in a very bad way themselves. While I appreciate that many of our supports will be contingent on what the EU gives to Ireland, the SME sector is made up of some 250,000 companies, which is 1 million employees, this is substantially less than the figure for foreign direct investment and Enterprise Ireland with 500,000 between them, the average rates grant of up to €10,000 to be payable…

I wish to share time with Deputies Niall Collins, Cathal Crowe and Cormac Devlin. I will take six minutes and each of the other Deputies will take three minutes. As is the case with other contributions, I will use my six minutes to pool a number of questions and the Minister may decide to answer in writing on another day so that we are not wasting speaking time in the House. I welcome the Minister back to the House. Cocooning in the Wicklow hills did not do him any harm. I fear that when it comes to transport, tour…

I saw on television that it is proposed to have a new committee to discuss Covid-19. Is it possible for Members to be given the terms of reference of this committee? I notice its membership-----

I note that it seems to be done on something of a d'Hondt system in that the larger parties have four members and there are disproportionately fewer places for the smaller groupings. With what frequency is the committee going to meet and would it be the same frequency as the Dáil reform committee that was constituted here six or seven weeks ago? It would be superficial for us to set up another committee that does not meet. Second, might the Ceann Comhairle, as Ceann Comhairle and ex officio chair of the Business Co…

I will share time with Deputies Calleary, Foley and Christopher O'Sullivan. I will use six minutes to make a statement rather than pose questions. Perhaps the Minister will impose on the Taoiseach to use one of his "Six One" or "The Late Late Show" slots to give answers. In the meantime, I want to get some things on the record. First, I regret that the senior Minister is not here. I do not doubt the commitment of the Minister of State but I have an issue if those monitoring groups, like the Zoom meeting the Ministe…

What is the purpose of the legal advice?

Okay.

On a point of order-----

The Ceann Comhairle and I have corresponded about this matter.

Without a doubt.

No, but in the interests of the many Members who have not found their position such that they have been allocated speaking time since the emergency-----

It is not just for my party. I speak on behalf of the 140-odd Members who are not currently here. I think that those arrangements are a matter that needs to be discussed, for every Member to have an opportunity to speak on them. I respectfully suggest that on the basis that all of us have individual offices here, and with the benefit, as with this debate, of allocated speaking times that are specific to Members, there is no reason, with the imagination and will, that we cannot provide each of the 160 Members equal …

I am glad to have some of it on the record.

Just to conclude-----

Just to conclude-----

It is only a point of order.

It is a point of order because we are seeking to change the Order of Business for the future of the House.

I ask the Ceann Comhairle to allow a bit of latitude. I sympathise with the situation and have no doubt that individual Members and expert groups are doing their absolute best. Surely it is in the interests of democracy and the upholding of the Constitution itself that all 160 Members might have an opportunity to examine, rather than just accept and comment upon, such experts' advice so that the House as a whole and those who are represented in pre-election party groupings or those who formed post-election technica…

I do not want to delay the House.