Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am sure we are all going to be on our best behaviour today because we are being observed from the Gallery by fifth and sixth class pupils from Bailieborough, County Cavan. First, we have a business proposal to take from the Government Chief Whip.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I move:

That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 34(a) or in the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders, Leaders' Questions pursuant to Standing Order 36 shall be taken now, followed immediately by the Order of Business pursuant to Standing Order 35, following which the ordinary routine of business shall be taken, subject to the arrangements agreed on the Order of Business.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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The reason the Chief Whip is asking the Dáil to approve a new start time is to enable the Taoiseach to both take Leaders' Questions and catch a plane to the United States. The Taoiseach will be flying over to meet President Biden, ostensibly to celebrate 100 years of diplomatic relations, but in reality to celebrate Joe Biden's presidency before he leaves office.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We must be brief now because we cannot have lengthy statements, Deputy Barry.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I will be brief. The Taoiseach should not be celebrating the presidency of a man who is arming and financing a genocide against the Palestinian people. There should be no farewell drinks for President Biden, and no place at Shannon Airport for US planes bringing arms to Israel. There is a huge gap between the Taoiseach's words and the Taoiseach's actions on this issue. If I cannot call a vote on the Taoiseach's visit-----

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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You cannot.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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-----I will call a vote now on the Chief Whip's proposal. I also urge people to join the protest at Shannon this Saturday at 1 p.m.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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Revelations published on the front page of The Sunday Times that a Member of the Oireachtas has been recruited by Russian intelligence have been scoffed at, laughed at and dismissed by many since, but this is a matter of the utmost importance and seriousness. I have not seen anything, either internally from the Oireachtas or politically, in terms of how we are actually going to counter and deal with this. I would like to hear something either from the Ceann Comhairle or the Taoiseach as to how we are going to manage and deal with this in our own House.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Hear, hear.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I do not know what is going on with this Taoiseach, but he has the media and the people driven demented. He has us driven demented. I think he is becoming demented himself.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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That is a two-way street.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I think it is time now to stop all the tricks and the games of snakes and ladders and have a bit of cop-on and respect for the people, as well as this House. Call the election. Let the dog see the rabbit. Let us out there, rather than playing games up and down, backward and forward, running over to Joe Biden and back. He is afraid he will not be Taoiseach again and that he will not be over there in March.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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You will never be Taoiseach anyway.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It is a bit of a charade. The Taoiseach is trying to drive the whole country demented, especially the electorate, but it can see what is going on and will catch him in good time.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are dealing with a proposal on the Order of Business, and nothing else. Does the Taoiseach want to comment?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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First, I am concerned to hear Deputy Barry would like to have a vote on my movements and where I can or cannot go. That certainly does not work.

Second, I could have easily done what many taoisigh do regularly when attending official business and sent someone in here to deputise on my behalf. What I did was to ask the House to agree to take Leaders' Questions early because I need to leave the House. If the House does not wish me to take Leaders' Questions, I can leave the House and someone will deputise on my behalf, but I take my duties in this House seriously and, therefore, I asked the House to reconvene an hour earlier for Leaders' Questions, which I would now dearly love to take.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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If the Taoiseach takes his duties seriously, he should represent the people of this country-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Are we in agreement with the proposal?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I represent the people of this country-----

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----and demand the US stops arming Israel.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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-----a hell of a lot better than you do.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Answer my questions.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Are we agreed with the proposal?

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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Not agreed.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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On the point raised by Deputy Duncan Smith concerning the very serious revelation about the Oireachtas Member who it appears is in the pay of Russia-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We can only have one contribution from each party.