Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)

I have assured Deputy MacSharry, who had indicated to me that he wanted to speak, that time would be made available to him. You are now indicating, Deputy, that you want time. It is 7.55 p.m. and we must conclude at 8 p.m. The Minister is required to respond. Her response stretches to ten minutes. It is physically impossible to conclude the business within the timescale set out. The Chief Whip's proposal is to defer further debate until next week. I am certainly not content to continue this to a point that people are required to be here. According to the schedule, our finishing time is 12 midnight. I am not prepared to stand over a situation in which, conscious of the fact that if we go on with this debate until 12 midnight or 12.30 a.m, staff who work here will be here for an additional hour afterwards. We are not right in putting that burden on people who have planned their week and working day.

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