Verona Murphy

Amendment No. 9 in the name of Deputy Alan Kelly has been ruled out of order.

I am just about to read the reason. I thank the Deputy. Amendment No. 9 would insert a new definition for "legal counselling", a term used later in the Bill. This definition would provide that such services would be provided to persons free of charge irrespective of a person's ability to secure legal services by their own means. Amendment No. 47 in the name of Deputy Kelly forms a composite propos…

The Deputy will accept, however, that the Bills Office must operate under Standing Orders.

I thank the Deputy.

All Deputies are free to take their case to the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform, should a change be required.

I thank the Deputy.

We move now to amendment No. 10 in the names of Deputies Gannon and Kelly. Amendments Nos. 10, 17, 20, 134, 135, 154, 192 and 206 are related and may be discussed together.

Amendment No. 11 is out of order.

As discussed earlier, amendments Nos. 1 and 11 would both require that the Minister carry out reports and administrative matters and lay these reports before the Houses before the Act or provisions thereof can be commenced. It is a long-established precedent that the commencement of an Act cannot be made contingent on an administrative matter external to the Houses, and that is to say contingent o…

Amendments Nos. 12, 137, 138, 140, 144, 155, 159, 167, 194, 197, 221 to 224, inclusive, 245 to 247, inclusive, 255, 263, 266, 267 and 269 are all related and will be discussed together.

I thank the Deputy. That concludes the debate for this evening as the time limit of eight hours has been reached.

Only one amendment was tabled for Report Stage, by Deputies Ruth Coppinger, Richard Boyd Barrett, and Paul Murphy. That amendment has been ruled out of order on the grounds of non-relevance to the provisions of the Bill and it does not arise out of Committee Stage proceedings. Accordingly, there are no amendments on Report Stage.

As there are no amendments tabled for Report Stage that are in order, we now proceed to Fifth Stage. I welcome the Minister to the House.

On the question?

Yes.

Does the Minister want to come back in? No. The question now is that the Bill-----

Thank you, Deputy Coppinger. Please resume your seat.

I cannot demand an answer. Thank you, Deputy.

You are out of order even asking that question.

You know that my role is to be impartial and chair the debate. Thank you, Deputy.

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to Second Stage of the Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021, taken on Thursday, 12 February 2026. On the question, "That the Bill be now read a Second Time", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now.

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding ban on investment funds purchasing family homes. On Tuesday, 17 February 2026, on the question, "That the amendment to the motion be agreed to", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now.

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to Second Stage of the Work Life Balance (Right to Remote Work) Bill 2026, taken on Wednesday, 18 February 2026. On the question, "That the Bill be now read a Second Time", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now.

Would Deputy Boyd Barrett allow the Tánaiste answer? He asked the question.

Thank you, Tánaiste.