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Dail Éireann · 2021-10-20

Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil

IND Michael McNamara · Clare

Party shown is the one held on 2021-10-20, frozen at parse time — not the speaker's party today.

Summary of this debate

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I call on the Government Chief Whip in relation to a business proposal. Why is the Order of Business constantly being changed at the behest of the Government? If I could explain, there was a request from the Opposition to have statements on Covid tomorrow.

We are amending the Order of Business to facilitate that request and that is what I am doing this evening. It is the exact same business as was agreed yesterday except for facilitating the request from the Opposition. A request was made, I understand it was unanimously agreed at the Business Committee and that is what has been read out.

Built by scoring every sentence in the debate on how distinctive its language is, then quoting the highest-scoring ones back word for word and in the order spoken. Nothing is paraphrased or invented — if a sentence appears here, it was said in the chamber. Drawn from 399 words across 17 contributions by 3 speakers.

Most used terms in this debate

How often each word appears across the whole debate, ranked by how distinctive it is to this debate rather than common to all parliamentary language.

joking 3
shall 6
business 8
request 5
item 3
agreed 5
agaibh----- 1
tomorrow’s 1
dáil 4
minutes 3
opposition----- 1
reframing 1

The full debate

All 17 contributions, start to finish, in the order they were made. The one you came here for is highlighted.

CC Catherine Connolly

I call on the Government Chief Whip in relation to a business proposal.

FF Jack Chambers

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or in the Order of Business of Tuesday, 19 October 2021, that in relation to tomorrow’s sitting of the Dáil—

—the Dáil shall sit later than 9.27 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Second Stage of Item 50 until 2 p.m. on Tuesday 2nd November 2021;

—Item 42 a , Statements on Covid-19: Reframing the Challenge, continuing our Recovery and Reconnecting, shall take place immediately following Item 42, and shall not exceed 145 minutes, with arrangements in accordance with those agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30 July 2020, for 135 minutes, following which a Minister or Minister of State may make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, and members may share time; and

—topical issues shall be taken on the conclusion of Government business or at 8.35 p.m., whichever is the earlier.

CC Catherine Connolly

Is that agreed?

IND Michael McNamara

It is not agreed.

CC Catherine Connolly

Go raibh maith agaibh-----

IND Michael McNamara

We all knew this was going to happen. I do not see why it is being announced to the Dáil on a Wednesday evening. Why is the Order of Business constantly being changed at the behest of the Government? There is a Business Committee.

CC Catherine Connolly

There is no discussion. We are here to-----

FF Jack Chambers

There was a request from the Opposition-----

IND Michael McNamara

Yes but I am saying that I do not agree and I wish to put it to a vote if possible.

CC Catherine Connolly

I thought the Deputy was joking.

IND Michael McNamara

I am not joking. I would ask the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to chair the debate in a neutral manner.

CC Catherine Connolly

I genuinely thought you were joking. I apologise; I was foolish.

FF Jack Chambers

If I could explain, there was a request from the Opposition to have statements on Covid tomorrow. We are amending the Order of Business to facilitate that request and that is what I am doing this evening.

IND Michael McNamara

You are also ramming a number of other changes through.

FF Jack Chambers

There are no other changes. It is the exact same business as was agreed yesterday except for facilitating the request from the Opposition. That is all it is.

CC Catherine Connolly

For the record, no other change has been made. A request was made, I understand it was unanimously agreed at the Business Committee and that is what has been read out. Does that clarify matters?

IND Michael McNamara this contribution

Thank you.