The Cathaoirleach can call whoever he wants but I want to know how this complies with Standing Orders.

I just want to know how this complies with Standing Orders.

I am asking how this complies with Standing Orders. If we have Standing Orders, they have to apply to the Government just as they apply to the Opposition in a democracy.

I have not. The Cathaoirleach has singularly failed to explain-----

-----how this explanatory memorandum complies with Standing Orders such that a debate can continue on this particular Bill at this moment without the suspension of Standing Orders.

I have received no reasons from the Chair as to why this complies with Standing Orders.

You are in the Chair.

You were selected to be in the Chair for a particular reason.

No. It flies in the face of Standing Orders that this can occur, that we can shovel whatever we want through the Dáil because we are approaching the last week of December. That is what we do every December. It is particularly noticeable from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. There is a particular tendency to ram legislation through on behalf of that Department.

So be it. That is your prerogative.

I do not wish to delay this any further. I have made my point. Having made the point to the Ceann Comhairle, it is particularly disappointing that he did not rule on the matter, particularly in circumstances where he "sent a letter" in response to a similar point that Deputy Cian O'Callaghan had made when it was debated. It is disappointing.

I do not wish any disrespect to the Cathaoirleach and I appreciate he is doing his job. It is disappointing, with the point having been made to the Ceann Comhairle that Standing Orders are not being adhered to. I cannot put it any further.

Last week, the new Planning and Development Bill was discussed for the first time. It is a very large Bill, as one might expect. It runs to 712 pages and contains many new legislative proposals, although much of it is also a restatement of existing law. The problem is it is not clear which is which. The Standing Orders of the House are very clear on the matter. Standing Order 175 states: "A Bill shall be printed only [there is no discretion in this regard] if accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum which shall, in…

It is about Standing Orders.

I have heard the Taoiseach describe offshore wind generation, in particular floating wind generation, as our "moonshot", notwithstanding that the industry was taken aback by the announcement in February that phase 2 would be limited to the south and east coasts and to anchored wind only. Nevertheless it is hoped to have 2 GW of offshore wind generation in development by 2030. That will require a phase 3 policy to be announced and that is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. It will also require the announcement…

A bit like air.

There is much about personalities and criticism of people's personalities on both sides of this House. For me, this is not about personalities at all, for what it is worth. The Minister is a fine person and a relatively competent politician. There must, though, be political accountability in this House in this democracy. This must be the case for health services and security services. Unfortunately, there are fewer gardaí in the State now. The total is a little under 14,000 now, while there was a little under 18,00…

On the issue of Ukraine’s accession and Irish support for it, how do we justify Ireland’s position in supporting European Union accession for Ukraine in circumstances where Northern Macedonia, or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as it was called for some time, has been languishing for so long with such little support, or indeed Bosnia-Herzegovina or many parts of former Yugoslavia? They were deemed to have dangers around corruption, I understand, and needs for reforms. With regard to corruption indices, t…

Like the previous speaker, I congratulate the Regional Group on this important legislation, particularly Deputy Shanahan for all the work he has done on it. It is driven by an awareness that the south east has been one of the areas which has suffered. I am from the mid-west and luckily the mid-west was represented at Cabinet relatively recently by Michael Noonan. Unfortunately, that is how politics works in Ireland but fortunately for the mid-west it was represented relatively recently by Michael Noonan. There is n…

Talk to Eamon Ryan.