There shall be a Roll of Members of Dáil Éireann which shall be signed in the presence of the Clerk by each member before taking his seat.

When returns to Writs issued for a General Election to the Dáil shall have come into his hands, the Clerk shall notify members returned that their attendance is required at a place appointed and on a day (or days) named by him, which day or days shall be prior to the date mentioned in the Proclamation convening Dáil Éireann, for the purpose of complying with the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Standing Order.

On the first day of the meeting of the Dáil subsequent to a General Election, and so soon as a quorum is present [S.O. 18], the proceedings shall be opened by the Clerk, who shall read the Proclamation convening Dáil Éireann.

The Clerk shall then make a report as to the issue of Writs for such Election. This report shall enumerate the Constituencies in respect of which, and the Returning Officers to whom, such Writs were issued. The Clerk shall also announce the names of all members returned to serve in the Dáil, giving the Constituency in each case.

A copy of the Writ of election for each Constituency, and of the return endorsed thereon, shall be laid before the Dáil by the Clerk.

For the purposes of these Standing Orders the expression "Ceann Comhairle" shall mean the member elected by Dáil Éireann to be Chairman of Dáil Éireann and the expression "Leas-Cheann Comhairle" shall mean the member elected by Dáil Éireann to be Deputy Chairman of Dáil Éireann.

The Dáil shall then proceed to the election of a Ceann Comhairle, and a motion may be made to that effect by any member who has taken his seat according to law. Such motion or motions shall be received by the Clerk, who shall act as Chairman until the Ceann Comhairle is elected.

If only one member be proposed as Ceann Comhairle the Clerk shall put the question, "That... (naming the member) be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle", which shall be decided like other questions: Provided that in the event of there being an equality of votes, the question shall be decided in the negative.

If more than one member be proposed as Ceann Comhairle, the Clerk shall, in the order in which the members shall have been proposed, put the question, "That... (naming the member) be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle", which shall be decided like other questions: Provided that in the event of there being an equality of votes, the question shall be decided in the negative.

The Ceann Comhairle shall immediately upon his election take the Chair, but in the case of absence of the Ceann Comhairle elect, the Dáil may, on motion made without notice, appoint any member to act as Ceann Comhairle for the time being. Until such member is appointed the Clerk shall continue to act as Chairman.

An election shall be held for a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and motions may be made to this effect after notice.

When a vacancy has occurred in the office of Ceann Comhairle, the Clerk shall report the same to the Dáil at the opening of its next meeting. The Dáil shall forthwith appoint a Ceann Comhairle for the time being, who shall perform the duties devolved upon, and exercise the authority conferred upon the Ceann Comhairle by these Standing Orders; and an Order shall be made fixing a date for the election of a Ceann Comhairle, which election shall take place in the manner hereinbefore provided. [S.O. 6.]

In the unavoidable absence of the Ceann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle shall perform the duties devolved upon, and exercise the authority conferred upon the Ceann Comhairle by these Standing Orders until the Dáil shall otherwise order.

Whenever the Dáil shall be informed by the Clerk that both the Ceann Comhairle and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle are unavoidably absent, then for the period of absence of both the Dáil shall, if a quorum be present, and subject to the provisions of Standing Order 6, at once proceed to elect one of its members to perform the duties devolved upon, and exercise the authority conferred upon the Ceann Comhairle by these Standing Orders; if there be not a quorum present, the Dáil shall stand adjourned until the next sitting day.

If there is a likelihood of the continued absence of the Ceann Comhairle, and if no other nomination shall have been made of a Ceann Comhairle, the Dáil may appoint another member to act as Leas-Cheann Comhairle during such continued absence.

The term of office of the Ceann Comhairle and of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle shall be the term of the Dáil existing at the time of their appointment, but the Ceann Comhairle shall continue in office until his successor has been appointed for the purpose of these Standing Orders: Provided that the Dáil may, at any time, by special resolution, remove from office either the Ceann Comhairle or the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

No member of the Government or Minister of State may act as Ceann Comhairle or Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

The Ceann Comhairle shall nominate, as soon as may be following the reassembly of the Dáil subsequent to a General Election, a panel of not less than five members, any one of whom may act as temporary Chairman in the Dáil or in Committee of the whole Dáil, when requested so to act by the Ceann Comhairle.

While the Leas-Cheann Comhairle (or a temporary Chairman) is in the Chair he shall perform the duties devolved upon, and exercise the authority conferred upon the Ceann Comhairle by these Standing Orders save as may be otherwise provided therein.

All proceedings of the Dáil shall be conducted through the medium of the Irish or the English language.

The Order Paper, the Journal of Proceedings of the Dáil and all other appropriate documents shall be issued in the Irish and English languages.

The Clerk shall cause to be made an official translation into English of every law enacted by the Oireachtas in Irish, and an official translation into Irish of every law enacted by the Oireachtas in English.

The quorum necessary to constitute a meeting of the Dáil shall be twenty members. [See S.O. 63.]

If at any stage in a sitting of the Dáil, other than while a private member's Bill or motion is under consideration or while a matter brought forward in accordance with Standing Order 20 (3) is being discussed, any member calls the attention of the Chair to the fact that a quorum is not present, or if on the report of a division, such fact shall appear, the division bells shall be rung for a period of not less than three minutes, and if after an interval of not less than three minutes, a quorum is still not present, the Ceann Comhairle shall suspend the sitting to a later hour to be named by him, or shall adjourn the Dáil without question put until the next sitting day; and no decision shall be considered to have been arrived at by such division; and the hour of such adjournment, as also the names of the members present, shall be entered in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Dáil. [See S.O. 64.]

Unless it shall otherwise resolve, the Dáil shall meet every Tuesday and Wednesday at 3 p.m. and every Thursday at 10.30 a.m., and shall adjourn not later than 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and not later than 5.30 p.m. on Thursdays.

At 10.30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and at 5 p.m. on Thursdays, the proceedings on any business then under consideration shall be interrupted (or if the Dáil be in Committee, progress shall be reported and leave asked to sit again): Provided that if an Order shall have been made under Standing Order 21, that the Dáil sit later than 11 p.m. (5.30 p.m. Thursdays) the time at which business is to be interrupted shall be the time fixed in such Order, and the provisions of this Standing Order with such substitution shall otherwise apply.

Any member may bring forward at 10.30 p.m. on a Tuesday or Wednesday, or at 5 p.m. on a Thursday, a matter for discussion, of which he has given notice not later than 4.30 p.m. on the former days and 3.30 p.m. on the latter day, but the Dáil shall not divide on any matter arising out of such discussion, nor shall opposed business be taken after 10.30 p.m. or 5 p.m., respectively.

If at the time appointed for the interruption of business as provided in paragraph (2) of this Standing Order, the closure is moved or proceedings under the closure are in progress, the Ceann Comhairle will not effect such interruption until the proceedings under the closure, and on any such further motion as is specified in the Standing Order as to closure [S.O. 55] have been completed.

If a division is in progress at the time appointed for the interruption of business as aforesaid, the interruption shall not take place until after the decision has been declared from the Chair. If the division is on an amendment, or on an amendment to an amendment, the Ceann Comhairle shall proceed after such declaration to put in proper sequence all the questions which have already been proposed from the Chair, but if any member offers to speak thereon or objects to further proceedings, the interruption shall thereupon take place.

A motion that the Dáil shall sit later than 11 p.m. on any Tuesday or Wednesday, or 5.30 p.m. on any Thursday, may be made without notice, and not later than 8.30 p.m. on the former days, or 3 p.m. on the latter day. Such motion shall appoint the hour at which business is to be interrupted and may be made only by a member of the Government: Provided that a member of the Government may move after notice that for a specified period the Dáil shall sit later than 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and 5.30 p.m. on Thursdays, and if such motion be agreed to, business shall be interrupted at the hour appointed in such motion, unless the business to be taken shall have been concluded at an earlier hour. [See S.O. 20.]

A motion that a sitting be suspended for a period may at any time be made, by permission of the Ceann Comhairle, and without notice. Such motion shall fix the period of suspension: Provided that if an Order shall have been made under Standing Order 21, the Ceann Comhairle may, if so requested, suspend business for a period not exceeding two hours.

On the request of the Taoiseach, the Ceann Comhairle may summon the Dáil for an earlier date than that fixed on an adjournment. Such summons shall state the reason for the earlier reassembly.

Upon taking the Chair each day, and before any business is entered upon, the Ceann Comhairle shall read the following prayer:- Direct, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thy holy inspirations and carry them on by Thy gracious assistance; that every word and work of ours may always begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended; through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Every sitting of the Dáil shall be governed by a printed Order Paper which shall be prepared under the direction of the Ceann Comhairle. The Taoiseach shall have the right to determine the order in which Government business shall appear on the Order Paper and, by announcement at the commencement of public business, the order in which it shall be taken each day.

The ordinary routine of business in the Dáil shall be as follows:-

1. *Questions.

2. Private Business.

3. Public Business-

(i) At the commencement of Public Business-

(a) Reports from Committees.

(b) Messages from the Seanad.

(c) Bills from the Seanad.

(d) Initiation of Bills.

(e) Notices of Motions.

(ii) Orders of the Day.

*Subject to the provisions of Standing Order 34.

The ordinary routine of business in Private Members' time (S.O. 82) shall be as follows:-

(i) Adjourned Business given priority under Standing Orders.

(ii) Business given precedence under Standing Order 85 (4).

(iii) Other Business ordered.

(iv) Other Notices of Motions.

At a sitting of the Dáil, before the commencement of Public Business, the Dáil shall proceed to the consideration of unopposed Private Business. Opposed Private Business shall be subject to the provisions of Standing Order 119 of the Standing Orders relative to Private Business.

All motions to be put on the Order Paper for any day, shall be in writing, signed by a member, and shall reach the Clerk not later than 11 a.m. on the fourth preceding day. Any amendments to such motions shall be in writing, signed by a member, and shall reach the Clerk not later than 11 a.m. on the second preceding day: Provided that, by permission of the Ceann Comhairle, motions and amendments may be made on shorter notice.

The Order Paper shall contain the text of all Questions to be asked of members of the Government (other than private notice Questions permitted under Standing Order 31) and of all motions, and amendments thereto, to be proposed (save such as are allowed by these Standing Orders to be proposed without notice).

A motion for the adjournment of the Dáil on a specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration may be made, if a member, who has given notice to the Ceann Comhairle before the opening of the sitting, rises in his place at the commencement of public business and states that he requests leave to move the adjournment of the Dáil for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration, whereupon he shall state the matter. The Ceann Comhairle shall, thereupon, if he considers the motion is one contemplated by this Standing Order, desire the members who support the request to rise in their places, and if not less than twelve members rise accordingly, he shall give leave to make the motion, which shall be moved at 9 p.m. on a Tuesday or Wednesday, or 3.30 p.m. on a Thursday, or at such hour on the day on which the request is made, as the Dáil may appoint.

A matter submitted in pursuance of this Standing Order, which fails to obtain the requisite support cannot during the following six months be again brought forward under this Standing Order.

Questions to a member of the Government must be in writing, and must reach the Clerk not later than 11 o'clock a.m. on the third day preceding that on which they are to be asked, not reckoning a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday: Provided that Questions relating to matters of urgent public importance may, by permission of the Ceann Comhairle, be asked on private notice.

Questions addressed to a member of the Government must relate to public affairs connected with his Department, or to matters of administration for which he is officially responsible.

The Ceann Comhairle shall examine every Question in order to ensure that its purpose is to elicit information upon or to elucidate matters of fact or of policy, that it as brief as possible, and that it contains no argument or personal imputation. The Ceann Comhairle, or the Clerk under his authority, may amend any Question, after consultation with the member responsible for the Question, to secure its compliance with Standing Orders.

Unless the Dáil shall otherwise order on motion made by a member of the Government Questions shall be taken from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from 2.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. on Thursdays.

If a Member

(i) distinguishes his Question by an asterisk, or

(ii) so requests in respect of his Question which has not been reached,

the member of the Government to whom it is addressed shall cause an answer to be provided in the Official Report of the Debates.

Where a Question put down for oral answer is of such a nature as to require a lengthy reply or a reply in the form of a tabular statement, the Ceann Comhairle shall, at the request of the member of the Government to whom the Question is addressed, direct that the answer be furnished in the Official Report of the Debates.

A Question shall be put by a member rising in his place, and indicating the number of the Question on the Order Paper.

Supplementary Questions may be put only for the further elucidation of the information requested, and shall be subject to the ruling of the Ceann Comhairle, both as to relevance and as to number.

A member of the Government who has given prior notice to the Ceann Comhairle may make a statement in the House on any matter. No debate shall be permitted on any such statement but further statements may be allowed at the discretion of the Ceann Comhairle from a spokesman nominated by a Party in Opposition.

A member desiring to speak shall rise in his place. Should more than one member rise at the same time, the Ceann Comhairle shall call upon one of them. Members shall address the Chair.

Whenever the Ceann Comhairle rises during a debate, any member then speaking, or offering to speak, shall resume his seat.

No member shall be entitled to speak twice upon the same motion, except to close the debate upon a motion of which he was the proposer.

A motion or amendment shall not be debated until the appropriate question has been proposed from the Chair.

If a member does not move the motion or amendment which stands in his name, such motion or amendment shall lapse unless moved by some other member authorised by him.

A member who has made a motion or proposed an amendment may withdraw the same by leave of the Dáil.

Every amendment must be relevant to the motion to which it is proposed, and must be directed to omitting, adding, or substituting words. No amendment, which is equivalent to a direct negative, shall be accepted.

When the question on a motion or an amendment has been put from the Chair, no further debate thereon shall be allowed.

A motion to rescind or amend a Resolution, other than a Resolution relating to an adjournment of the Dáil or to Standing Orders, can only be made on notice that shall specify the Resolution to be rescinded or amended, and furnish the terms of the motion to be made; but no motion shall be allowed to appear on the Order Paper to rescind or amend any such Resolution, within six months from the date of its adoption, except with the written assent of not less than twenty-five members.

No member shall re-open a discussion on a question already discussed during the preceding six months, except by the indulgence of the Dáil for a personal explanation; nor anticipate the discussion of any subject of which notice has been given: Provided that in determining whether a discussion is out of order on the ground of anticipation, regard shall be had by the Ceann Comhairle to the probability of the matter anticipated being brought before the Dáil within a reasonable time.

A member who persists in irrelevance or repetition in debate, or who, in the opinion of the Ceann Comhairle, is speaking for the purpose of obstructing business, may be directed by the Ceann Comhairle to discontinue his speech after the attention of the Dáil or of the Committee has been called to his conduct.

The Ceann Comhairle is the judge of order in the Dáil and in Committee of the whole Dáil and has authority to suppress disorder and to enforce prompt obedience to his ruling. In Select or Special Committees order shall be maintained by the Chairman, but disorder or obstruction in Committees can be censured only in the Dáil on receiving a report.

The Ceann Comhairle shall order a member whose conduct is grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the Dáil for the remainder of that day's sitting. If, however, on any occasion the Ceann Comhairle deems that the powers conferred under this Standing Order are inadequate to deal with the offence, he may, in accordance with the next succeeding Standing Order, name such member for misconduct, or he may call on the Dáil to adjudge upon his conduct. Members ordered to withdraw in pursuance of this Standing Order, or who are suspended in pursuance of the next succeeding Standing Order, shall forthwith withdraw from the precincts of the Dáil.

A member may be named or the Dáil called on to adjudge upon his conduct only when the Ceann Comhairle is in the Chair.

Whenever any member shall have been named by the Ceann Comhairle immediately after the commission of the offence of disregarding the authority of the Chair, then, if the offence has been committed by such member in the Dáil, the Ceann Comhairle shall forthwith put the question on a motion being made - no amendment, adjournment or debate being allowed - "That... (naming the member) be suspended from the service of the Dáil"; and if the offence has been committed in Committee of the whole Dáil, the proceedings shall forthwith be suspended and the circumstances reported to the Dáil, and the Ceann Comhairle shall, thereupon, on motion being made, put the same question without amendment, adjournment or debate as if the offence had been committed in the Dáil itself. If any member hereafter be suspended under this Standing Order, his suspension on the first occasion shall continue until the fourth day, on the second occasion until the eighth day, and on the third or any subsequent occasion until the twelfth day, on which the Dáil shall sit after the day on which he was suspended: Provided that on receiving from the member so suspended a written and approved expression of regret, to be entered on the Journal of the Proceedings of the Dáil, the Ceann Comhairle shall lay the same before the Dáil, and on motion made without notice, amendment, adjournment or debate, forthwith put the question for the discharge of the Order of suspension, whereupon, if the question passes in the affirmative, the Order shall be discharged, and the member re-admitted: Provided further that suspension from the service of the Dáil shall not exempt the member so suspended from serving on a Select or Special Committee of the Dáil to which he may have been appointed previous to his suspension.

In the case of great disorder, the Ceann Comhairle may adjourn the Dáil without question put, or suspend any sitting for a time to be named by him.

In making references to members of the Dáil, the following rules shall apply:-

(a) A member of the Government shall (as the case may require) be referred to as the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, or the Minister for...; and a Minister of State shall be referred to as the Minister of State at....

(b) A private member of the Dáil shall be referred to as Deputy....

After a question (except a question already barred from debate under the Standing Orders) has been proposed from the Chair either in the Dáil, or in a Committee of the whole Dáil, a member may claim to move, "That the question be now put", and unless it shall appear to the Ceann Comhairle that such a motion is an infringement of the rights of a minority, or that the question has not been adequately discussed, or that the motion is otherwise an abuse of these Standing Orders, the question, "That the question be now put", shall be put forthwith, and decided without amendment or debate.

When a motion "That the question be now put", has been carried, and the question consequent thereon has been decided, any further motion may be made (the assent of the Ceann Comhairle, as aforesaid, not having been withheld), which may be requisite to bring to a decision any question already proposed from the Chair, and such motion shall be put forthwith, and decided without amendment or debate.

Provided always that no member may claim to move "That the question be now put" unless the Ceann Comhairle is in the Chair.

A member of the Government or a Minister of State who is a member of the Seanad may attend and be heard in the Dáil. [See Artcle 28.8 of the Constitution].

When any question is to be put to the Dáil or to a Committee of the whole Dáil, the Ceann Comhairle shall rise and announce that "The question is that", thereupon reading or stating the question, requiring that as many as are of that opinion shall say "Tá", and as many as are of contrary opinion shall say "Níl". He shall judge from the answers to his questions, and declare the result, in his opinion, of the putting of the question.

After the Ceann Comhairle shall have declared the result, in his opinion, of the putting of any question, any member may demand a division upon that question, whereupon a division shall, subject to Standing Order 59, be taken.

When a division is demanded the Ceann Comhairle shall cause the division bells to be rung once for a period of not less than three minutes, and the doors shall be locked so soon after the lapse of not less than three minutes as he shall direct.

When the doors have been locked, and the division lobbies have been cleared, the Ceann Comhairle shall order the Dáil or Committee of the whole Dáil to divide, and shall appoint two tellers for each side: Provided that after the lapse of not less than three minutes, as provided in Standing Order 58, the Ceann Comhairle may again put the question and declare afresh the result, in his opinion, of the putting of the question, and a division shall take place only if such fresh declaration is challenged: Provided always that the Ceann Comhairle may, after the lapse of not less than three minutes, if in his opinion a division is unncessary, call upon the members who claim the division to rise in their places. If fewer than ten members so rise, he shall forthwith declare the determination of the Dáil or Committee, and the names of the members who so rise shall be recorded in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Dáil.

On the completion of the count, the tellers shall sign a division paper which shall be handed to the Ceann Comhairle who shall announce the numbers and declare the decision. The doors shall then be reopened.

Questions in the Dáil or in a Committee of the whole Dáil, shall, save as otherwise provided by the Constitution, be determined by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting, other than the Ceann Comhairle, or presiding member, who shall have and exercise a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes [See Article 15.11 of the Constitution.]

The Dáil shall go into Committee whenever it reaches business on the Order Paper which is to be considered in Committee.

The quorum in Committee of the whole Dáil shall consist of the same number of members as shall be requisite to form a quorum of the Dáil. [See S.O. 18.]

If during a sitting of a Committee of the whole Dáil, other than while a private member's Bill is under consideration, a member calls the attention of the Chair to the fact that a quorum is not present, or if on the report of a division such fact shall appear, the division bells shall be rung for a period of not less than three minutes, and if after an interval of not less than three minutes a quorum is still not present, the Dáil shall resume and a report shall be made that a quorum was not present. The Ceann Comhairle shall, at the expiration of not less than three minutes (the bells having been rung) count the Dáil, and if a quorum is still not present he shall suspend the sitting to a later hour to be named by him, or shall adjourn the Dáil without question put until the next sitting day; and no decision shall be considered to have been arrived at by such division; and the hour of such adjournment, as also the names of the members present, shall be entered in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Dáil; but if a quorum is present the Dáil shall again go into Committee. [See S.O. 19.]

The rules as to procedure in the Dáil shall apply to procedure in Committee of the whole Dáil, and in Select or Special Committees, except that a member may speak more than once on the same question.

The Dáil may, on motion made after notice, appoint a Select Committee to consider and, if so permitted, to take evidence upon any Bill or matter, and to report its opinion for the information and assistance of the Dáil. Such motion shall specifically state the terms of reference of the Committee, define the powers devolved upon it, fix the number of members to serve on it, state the quorum, and may appoint a date upon which the Committee shall report back to the Dáil.

A Select Committee, empowered to send for persons, papers, and records, may report its opinions and observations, together with the minutes of evidence taken before it, to the Dáil, and also make a special report of any matters which it may think fit to bring to the notice of the Dáil.

The Order of the Dáil setting up a Special Committee to consider a Bill [S.O.s 83 and 90] shall if necessary fix a date upon which the Committee shall report back to the Dáil.

Every Select or Special Committee, previous to the commencement of business, shall elect one of its members to be Chairman, who shall have only one vote.

A member of the Government in charge of a Bill which has been committed to a Select or Special Committee of which he is a member may nominate another member of the Government or a Minister of State, who is not a member of the Committee, to act in his stead at any meeting of the Committee.

In the absence of a member nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve on a Special Committee a member of the Dáil nominated by the Party to which the absent member belongs may take part in the proceedings and vote in his stead.

Divisions shall be taken by the Clerk to the Committee calling the names of the members. In the event of there being an equality of votes the question shall be decided in the negative.

As soon as may be following the reassembly of the Dáil subsequent to a General Election there shall be appointed a committee to be known as the Committee of Selection, which, unless it shall have been otherwise ordered, shall nominate the members to serve on Select or Special Committees, and which shall have power to discharge members of Select or Special Committees from time to time for non-attendance or at their own request, and to appoint others in substitution for those discharged. The Committee of Selection shall consist of eleven members, of whom five shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall be otherwise constituted according to the provisions of Standing Orders 66 and 69, and so as to be impartially representative of the Dáil.

As soon as may be following the reassembly of the Dáil subsequent to a General Election there shall be appointed a Select Committee, to be known as the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, to consider matters of procedure generally and to recommend any additions or amendments to the Standing Orders that may be deemed necessary, and also to consider and report, as and when requested so to do, as to the privileges attaching to members. The Committee may also consider, if it deems it advisable, any matter relating to the conditions or premises in which members carry out their duties and which are not specifically referred to any other committee. The Committee shall consist of the Ceann Comhairle, who shall be Chairman, and seventeen other members; and eight shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall be otherwise constituted according to the provisions of Standing Orders 66 and 69, and so as to be impartially representative of the Dáil.

Visitors may be introduced by members to such places as may be reserved for them by the Ceann Comhairle, and authorised representatives of the Press may be present at sittings of the Dáil, or of a Committee of the whole Dáil or of a Select or Special Committee unless such Select or Special Committee otherwise orders.

In case of special emergency, a member of the Government may move, without notice, that all visitors and Press representatives be excluded from the Chamber, and this shall be done by direction of the Ceann Comhairle, with the assent of two-thirds of the members present. [See Article 15.8.2 of the Constitution.]

All proceedings of the Dáil, or of the Committee of the whole Dáil, shall be noted by the Clerk, and the minutes of proceedings after being perused and signed by the Ceann Comhairle, shall be printed, and shall constitute the Journal of the Proceedings of the Dáil.

The Clerk shall have custody of all Journals of Proceedings, records, or other documents belonging to the Dáil, and he shall neither take nor permit to be taken any such Journals of Proceedings, records or documents from the Chamber or offices, without the express leave or order of the Dáil: Provided, however, that in the event of the Dáil being adjourned for any period longer than a week, such leave may be given by the Ceann Comhairle who shall report the same to the Dáil upon its re-assembling.

The Clerk shall have the direction and control over all the officers and joint staff, subject to such orders as he may, from time to time, receive from the Ceann Comhairle, or the Dáil.

All the duties devolved upon, and all the powers conferred upon, the Clerk by these Standing Orders or by law, shall in his absence and to the extent permitted by law, be performed or exercised by the Clerk-Assistant.

If both the Clerk and the Clerk-Assistant be absent, the Ceann Comhairle may appoint, for the time being, a member of the joint staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas to perform the duties devolved upon, and exercise the powers conferred upon the Clerk by these Standing Orders.

An Official Report of the Debates of the Dáil for each sitting shall be issued under the supervision of the Ceann Comhairle.

A copy of the Official Report of the Debates, as well as of every other publication of the Dáil, shall be made available for every member.

A revised edition of the Official Report of the Debates shall be prepared in bound volumes, at such periods as the Ceann Comhairle shall determine.

The Order Paper shall be confined to Questions, Private business and Government business on Thursdays. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Government business or Private business, as the case may be, shall be interrupted between 6 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. to take private members' business: Provided that a member of the Government may move, without notice, at the commencement of public business on any Tuesday or Wednesday that, on that day or during the period specified in the motion, specified Government business, or Private business, as the case may be, shall not be interrupted if under consideration at the time fixed for taking private members' business. Such motion shall be decided without amendment.

Should a private member's Bill pass its second reading, it shall be referred to a Select or Special Committee. [See S.O. 90.]

Should the debate on any motion or Bill moved by a private member be adjourned, the adjourned proceedings on such motion or Bill shall, unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, be given priority over new business introduced by a private member, and over private members' business postponed under the provisions of Standing Order 135, on the next ensuing occasion set apart for the consideration of private members' business.

For the purpose of this Standing Order a group shall mean-

(a) any Party which had not less than seven members elected to the Dáil at the previous General Election or which, if it had less than seven, attained the number of seven members as a result of a subsequent bye-election, or

(b) all members of the Dáil being not less than seven in number who are not members of any such Party.

Each group shall have the right to nominate a private member of the group to present a Bill provided that there is not before the Dáil another Bill presented by a member nominated by the group.

Each group shall have the right in rotation to nominate a private member of the group either to move a motion standing in his name or to proceed with a Stage of a Bill in the Dáil. The order in which the right may be exercised by the various groups shall be determined on the basis of the numbers of members in the groups, a larger group having precedence over a smaller one. In the case of an equality of numbers precedence shall be determined by lot.

At least ten days prior to the date on which the motion is moved or a Stage of a Bill is taken in the Dáil the member nominated shall indicate to the Ceann Comhairle the motion which he proposes to move or the Stage of the Bill to be taken and the Ceann Comhairle will give the motion or the Bill appropriate precedence in the private members' business on the Order Paper.

The time allowed for the debate on a motion proposed by a private member, other than a motion relating to any stage of a Bill, shall not exceed a period of three hours in the aggregate. At the expiration of the said period, if the proceedings have not previously been concluded, the Ceann Comhairle shall put forthwith the question or questions necessary to bring to a conclusion the proceedings on the motion and on any amendment thereto.

The time allowed for the debate on the motion for the Second Stage of a Bill initiated by a private member shall not exceed a period of six hours in the aggregate. At the expiration of the said period, if the proceedings have not been concluded, the Ceann Comhirle shall put forthwith the question or questions necessary to bring to a conclusion the proceedings on the motion and any amendment thereto.

The speech of a member proposing a motion to which any time limit applies shall not exceed forty minutes and the member proposing, or such other member who has not already spoken as he may authorise in that behalf, shall be entitled to not less than fifteen minutes for a speech in reply; the speech of any other member in the course of the debate shall not exceed thirty minutes.

Any matter for decision by the Dáil shall be brought before it by motion for a simple Resolution or Order, or by the initiation of a Bill.

The matters that may be dealt with by Resolution shall include Standing Orders, adjournments of the Dáil, appointment or removal of the Ceann Comhairle or the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, expressions of condolence, censure, thanks, and opinion, and any other matter which, by law, the Dáil may decide by simple Resolution. A vote of condolence may be moved, without notice, by the Taoiseach, or a member of the Government acting for him.

The matters that may be dealt with by Order shall include the suspension of members, appointment of Committees, the printing of Bills and documents, and questions of procedure generally.

The matters which shall be dealt with by Bills shall include all proposals for legislation.

The title of every Bill presented or to be introduced and a short description of its purpose, prepared by the proposer, and accepted by the Ceann Comhairle, shall appear on the Order Paper.

Any member may move for leave to introduce a Bill. If such motion be opposed the Ceann Comhairle shall permit an explanatory statement not exceeding five minutes in length from the member who moves and from a member who opposes the motion before he puts the question thereon. If leave to introduce the Bill is given, an Order shall be made for its second reading and the Bill shall be printed.

A member of the Government, Minister of State or a private member nominated for the purpose under Standing Order 85 (2) may present a Bill without previously obtaining leave of the House and any Bill so presented shall be printed and an Order for its second reading shall be made.

If a motion of a private member for leave to introduce a Bill be opposed the debate thereon shall be adjourned to the next day on which private members' business is to be taken.

The debate on the motion, that the Bill be now read a second time, shall be confined to the general principle of the Bill. Amendments may be made to this motion-

(i) by omitting the word "now" and adding at the end of the motion the words "this day three months", or "this day six months", or some other date;

(ii) by deleting all or some of the words after "That" and substituting words which state some special reason against the second reading of the Bill.

If on an amendment to the motion for the second reading of a Bill it is decided that the words proposed to be deleted stand part of the question, the Bill shall forthwith be declared to be read a second time.

When a Bill, other than a private member's Bill, has been read a second time, it may either be ordered to be considered in Committee of the whole Dáil on a day then named, or be referred to some other Committee. Should a Bill be ordered to be referred to a Special Committee, such order shall fix the date for the commencement of the Committee stage, the number of members to serve on the Committee, the quorum of it, and Standing Orders 68 and 69 shall otherwise apply. [See S.O. 83.]

Provided that the Dáil may, on motion made by the member in charge of the Bill, commit the Bill to a Special Committee in respect of some of its provisions, and to a Committee of the whole Dáil in respect of other provisions, and that if such a motion is opposed, the Ceann Comhairle shall permit an explanatory statement from the member who moves, and from a member who opposes the motion before he puts the question thereon.

When a Bill is to be considered in Committee, proposed amendments shall be notified in due time, and shall be arranged in proper order: Provided, nevertheless, that, in the discretion of the Chair, amendments may be moved without notice.

In Committee, a Bill must be considered section by section. It shall be in order, however, before consideration of a section or sections is entered upon, to move the postponement of the section or sections until another section, other sections or schedules have been disposed of. Any section of a Bill may be amended in Committee, and new sections may be inserted.

In Committee, when an amendment is offered proposing to insert a new section in a Bill, such amendment may be moved when the number of the section, before which it is proposed to insert the new section, is read from the Chair, and the question on such amendment shall be first decided.

When the amendments (if any) offered to a section have been disposed of, the question shall be put, "That such section (or such section as amended) stand part of the Bill."

The consideration of the preamble and title of a Bill in Committee shall be deferred until the sections and schedules (if any) have been considered.

In considering a Bill, a Select or Special Committee may at any time adjourn, and a Committee of the whole Dáil may at any time report progress, provided that the necessary motion to this effect has been carried. Any such motion which is deemed by the Chair to be dilatory or obstructive shall not be accepted.

It shall be an instruction to all Committees to which Bills may be committed that they have power to make such amendments therein as they shall think fit, provided that such amendments be relevant to the provisions of the Bill and are not in conflict with the principle of the Bill as read a second time.

The Dáil may, on motion made by the member in charge of a Bill, give an instruction to a Committee to which a Bill has been committed empowering it to make amendments, the nature of which shall be specified, provided that the amendments be relevant to the general subject matter and not in conflict with the principle of the Bill.

If any amendment made to a Bill be not within the title of the Bill the Committee shall amend the title accordingly and report the same specially to the Dáil.

When the preamble (if any), and the title of a Bill shall have been considered in Committee, the Bill shall be reported with or without amendment to the Dáil, and an order shall be then made for its consideration on report.

If no amendments have been offered to a Bill on Report an Order appointing a day for its Fifth Stage shall be made.

If amendments have been offered to a Bill on Report the Dáil shall proceed to consider them.

A motion may be made to recommit a Bill either wholly or in respect of certain sections or amendments. The motion may be made at any time before the order for the Fifth Stage shall have been made.

If a motion to recommit a Bill be opposed the Ceann Comhairle shall permit an explanatory statement of the reasons for such recommittal from the member who moves and a statement from a member who opposes the motion before he puts the question thereon.

A Bill reported from a Select Committee shall be referred to a Committee of the whole Dáil.

Amendments may be moved on the Fourth Stage, but no amendments previously rejected in Committee of the whole Dáil shall be in order.

On the Fourth Stage, no new section or other amendment may be proposed which creates a charge on the public revenue or upon the people but the Bill may be recommitted in respect of any such section or amendment.

When any amendments have been disposed of an Order appointing a day for its Fifth Stage shall be made.

When a Bill shall come forward for final consideration, it shall be moved, "That the Bill do now pass". No amendment, not being merely verbal, shall be made to any Bill on this Stage.

During the progress of a Bill, corrections of a verbal or formal nature may at any time be made in a Bill by the Clerk, under the direction of the Ceann Comhairle. Versional, and all other corrections, shall be made by way of motion, and dealt with as any other amendment.

Any Bill, which lapses by reason of the dissolution of the Dáil, before it has reached its final stage, may be proceeded with on the reassembly of the Dáil at the stage it had reached prior to the dissolution, upon a Resolution restoring it to the Order Paper.

Unless the Resolution restoring the Bill to the Order Paper directs otherwise, the Bill shall be proceeded with at the commencement of the particular stage which it had reached prior to the dissolution of the Dáil.

A public Bill (not being a Bill to confirm a Provisional Order) affecting private interests in such a way that, if it were a private Bill, it would, under the Standing Orders relative to Private Business, require preliminary notices before its introduction, is known as a hybrid Bill and shall be subject to the provisions of Standing Order 60 of the Standing Orders relative to Private Business.

A Bill the purpose of which as expressed in the long Title is to consolidate existing Statute Law on a particular subject matter, and is so certified by the Attorney General in a certificate which shall accompany the Bill on introduction, shall be known as a Consolidation Bill.

The Certificate provided for in the preceding paragraph of this Standing Order shall be printed on the Order Paper on which notice is given of intention to introduce such Bill.

Every Consolidation Bill shall have prefixed to it a Memorandum prepared by the Attorney General in which shall be specified the enactments repealed by the Bill, the sections of the Bill in which the repealed enactments are reproduced, together with the remarks of the Attorney General on any textual amendments made.

If leave to introduce a Consolidation Bill be given, an Order for its Second Stage shall be made for a date not earlier than twenty-eight days after its introduction and the Bill and the Memorandum shall be printed.

On the Second Stage of a Consolidation Bill the only amendment which may be moved to the motion, "That the Bill be now read a second time", is one proposing the omission of all words after the word "That" in order to substitute words stating a reason or reasons in challenge of the Certificate of the Attorney General.

If on the amendment to the question, "That the Bill be now read a second time", it is decided that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question the Bill shall forthwith be declared to be read a second time.

Every Consolidation Bill after having passed its Second Stage shall, with the concurrence of both Houses, be referred to a Standing Joint Committee consisting of Select Committees of each House joined together for the purpose of consideration of such Bills [S.O. 112]. In the absence of such concurrence the Bill may be referred to a Select Committee of the Dáil.

On motion made in the Dáil, in the case of a Consolidation Bill originating in the Seanad, to concur with the Seanad as to the expediency of referring the Bill to the Standing Joint Committee, the only amendment which may be moved is one stating a reason or reasons in challenge of the Certificate of the Attorney General.

When a Consolidation Bill has been read a second time in the originating House and a resolution of concurrence in the reference of the Bill to the Standing Joint Committee has been passed by the other House, orders for the committal of the Bill to the Standing Joint Committee shall be made by both Houses for a date not earlier than fourteen days after the passage of the resolution of concurrence.

As soon as may be following the reassembly of the Dáil subsequent to a General Election there shall be appointed a Select Committee which shall be joined with a similar Select Committee of the Seanad to constitute the Standing Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills. The Select Committee shall, subject to the provisions of the next succeeding paragraph, consist of three members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection. The quorum of the Select Committee shall be two.

The Committee of Selection shall be empowered to add to the Select Committee on a Consolidation Bill such number of members, not exceeding three, for the purpose of considering any particular Bill committed to the Standing Joint Committee.

The member of the Government in charge of the Department the statute law in respect of which is dealt with in a Bill shall be an ex officio member of the Standing Joint Committee but such member of the Government may nominate the Minister of State attached to his Department to be such ex officio member in his stead.

The Standing Joint Committee shall elect from its members as Chairman a member of either House.

If the Chairman of the Standing Joint Committee be absent from a meeting of the Committee on a Bill, the Chair shall be taken by such member of the Committee as the Committee may choose.

The Standing Joint Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records.

In the Standing Joint Committee on a Consolidation Bill the only permissible amendments shall be amendments designed to be for the removal of ambiguities and inconsistencies, the substitution of modern for obsolete or inconvenient machinery or the achievement of uniformity of expression or adaptation to existing law and practice. Amendments of the nature of substantive amendment of the statute law shall not be in order.

The Report of the Standing Joint Committee upon every Consolidation Bill shall be laid before each House and the Bill shall be set down for Report Stage in the originating House on a date not earlier than twenty-eight days thereafter.

On the Report Stage amendments shall be restricted similarly as in the Standing Joint Committee [S.O. 114] and the Fifth Stage shall be fixed for a date not earlier than fourteen days thereafter.

In the case of a Consolidation Bill originating in the Seanad, the Bill shall on its receipt in the Dáil after being passed by the Seanad be set down for Report Stage, the First, Second and Third Stages being waived.

A Bill which has as its main object the imposition of a charge upon the people shall not be initiated unless a motion approving of the charge has been passed by the Dáil. No such motion as aforesaid nor any amendment thereto proposing to increase the amount stated in any such motion, may be made by any member, save a member of the Government.

The Committee Stage of a Bill which incidentally involves a charge upon the people shall not be taken unless a motion approving of the charge has been passed by the Dáil. No such motion as aforesaid nor any amendment thereto proposing to increase the amount stated in any such motion may be made by any member, save a member of the Government.

An amendment to a Bill which could have the effect of imposing or increasing a charge upon the people may not be moved by any member, save a member of the Government, or Minister of State.

A Bill which has as its main object the appropriation of revenue or other public moneys shall not be initiated by any member, save a member of the Government.

The Committee Stage of a Bill which involves the appropriation of revenue or other public moneys shall not be taken unless the purpose of the appropriation has been recommended to the Dáil by a Message from the Government. The text of any Message shall be printed on the Order Paper [See Article 17.2 of the Constitution].

An amendment to a Bill which could have the effect of imposing or increasing a charge upon the revenue may not be moved by any member, save a member of the Government or Minister of State.

Every grant of money proposed for the public service shall be considered by the Dáil on a motion, which shall be decided without amendment, stating the amount to be granted and the particular service for which the sum is demanded. No such motion as aforesaid may be made by any member, save a member of the Government.

On the completion by the Dáil of the consideration of any Resolution, or series of Resolutions, voting money for public services, or imposing taxation, a Bill shall be prepared and introduced by the member of the Government in charge of the Department of Finance, or another member of the Government acting on his behalf.

The ordinary yearly Estimates for the Public Services shall be presented to the Dáil and circulated to members not less than seven days prior to the consideration of the ordinary yearly resolutions imposing taxation and not later than the thirtieth day of the financial year: Provided that supplementary or additional Estimates, not included therein, may be brought forward on leave given by the Dáil after motion made.

The Ceann Comhairle shall, where a division has been demanded on an Estimate in the House or on any motion taken in conjunction with such Estimate, postpone the taking of every such division until 10.15 p.m. on that day if the House sits until that hour and, if not, to 10.15 p.m. on the next day on which the House shall sit until that hour.

At 10.15 p.m. any business then under consideration shall be interrupted to take every such division. Where more than one division is to be taken at 10.15 p.m. the divisions shall be taken in the chronological order in which they were demanded.

If at the time appointed for the interruption of business proceedings under this Order are in progress, the Ceann Comhairle shall not effect such interruption until the proceedings in connection with all divisions and questions outstanding shall have been completed.

In the discussion of a supplementary Estimate the debate shall be confined to the Items constituting the same, and no discussion may be raised on the original Estimate, save in so far as it may be necessary to explain or illustrate the particular Items under discussion.

Unless the Dáil shall otherwise order the speech of a member in the course of a debate on a motion for the imposition of a charge upon the people or for a grant of money proposed for the public service shall not exceed one hour: Provided that the speech of the first speaker from a group (as defined by Standing Order 85 (1) (a)) in opposition and the speech of the member of the Goverment or Minister of State replying to the debate shall not exceed in each case one hour and a half: Provided further that this order shall not apply to the speech of a member of the Government or Minister of State opening the debate.

There shall be appointed, as soon as may be after the beginning of each financial year, a Select Committee, to be designated "The Committee of Public Accounts", to examine and report to the Dáil upon the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the Dáil to meet the public expenditure, and to suggest alterations and improvements in the form of the Estimates submitted to the Dáil. The Committee, which shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, shall consist of twelve members, none of whom shall be a member of the Government or a Minister of State, and four of whom shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall be otherwise constituted according to the provisions of Standing Orders 66 and 69, and so as to be impartially representative of the Dáil.

Immediately after a Bill, which in his opinion is a Money Bill, has passed the Dáil, and before it is sent to the Seanad, the Ceann Comhairle shall issue his certificate that it is a Money Bill, and he shall announce that fact to the Dáil. He shall also cause a notification to be transmitted immediately to the Chairman of the Seanad, informing him of the certification of any such Bill. [See Article 22.2 of the Constitution].

Messages from the Dáil to the Seanad shall be in writing, signed by the Clerk of the Dáil, and shall be addressed to the Clerk of the Seanad.

Messages from the Seanad shall be received by the Clerk. The Ceann Comhairle shall, at the first convenient opportunity, communicate any such Message to the Dáil: Provided that in case of special urgency, any business in progress on the receipt of such Message may be interrupted to hear the same.

If a Message from the Seanad requires any action to be taken or thing to be done by the Dáil, it shall be set down on the Order Paper next thereafter prepared, and shall be considered accordingly: Provided that in case of special urgency, the Dáil may consider such Message at any earlier period.

When a Bill has passed through all its stages in the Dáil, the Clerk shall make, or cause to be made, an exact copy thereof, and shall vouch such copy to be a true and correct copy by certifying the same at the head of the first page and by initialling and numbering each succeeding page. The signed certificate of the Clerk shall state the date of the passing of the Bill through its last stage in the Dáil, and the date of its transmission to the Seanad.

Such true copy of a Bill, passed as aforesaid, and duly certified in the manner hereinbefore provided, together with a Message referring to such Bill, shall be transmitted to the Seanad. The Message shall state that the Dáil desires the agreement of the Seanad to the passing of the Bill into law or, in the case of a Money Bill, that the Bill is sent to the Seanad for its recommendations.

A Bill, which has been initiated in and passed by the Seanad, shall be deemed to have passed its First Stage in the Dáil, and shall be set down for its Second Stage on the Order Paper next prepared after its receipt from the Seanad.

When a Bill, transmitted from the Dáil to the Seanad, shall have passed through all its stages in the Seanad, and shall have been sent back to the Dáil with amendments made in the Seanad, or in the case of a Money Bill, with recommendations made by the Seanad, such amendments or recommendations, as the case may be, shall be published to the Dáil, and the Dáil shall, in Committee, consider and report on such amendments or recommendations, as the case may be.

An amendment made by the Seanad to a Bill initiated in the Dáil may be accepted by the Dáil with or without amendment or be rejected. No amendment shall be moved to an amendment made by the Seanad that is not strictly relevant thereto, nor can any other amendment be moved to the Bill unless it be consequential upon the acceptance, amendment or rejection of a Seanad amendment.

All business undisposed of at the adjournment of the Dáil, shall stand postponed until the next sitting day, unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, and shall be placed on the Order Paper for that day, subject to the provisions of Standing Orders 25, 82 and 84.

Any member of the Dáil may voluntarily resign his membership thereof by notice in writing to the Ceann Comhairle, and such resignation shall take effect immediately upon the same being announced to the Dáil by the Ceann Comhairle.

A motion may be made, after notice, directing the Ceann Comhairle to direct the Clerk to issue his Writ for the election of a member to fill any vacancy that may occur from time to time. Such motion shall be made at the commencement of public business.

The Clerk shall make a report of the issue of every such Writ stating the Constituency in respect of which, and the name of the Returning Officer to whom, such Writ was issued, together with the date of issue.

On the receipt of the return to the Writ, the Clerk shall announce the name of the member elected, and shall lay before the Dáil a copy of the Writ, and of the return endorsed thereon.

When the return to a Writ issued for the election of a member to fill a casual vacancy shall have come into his hands, the Clerk shall notify the member returned that his attendance is required at a place appointed and on a day (or days) named by him, for the purpose of complying with the provisions of paragraph (1) of Standing Order 1.

Where a document is required to be laid before the Dáil the delivery of a copy of the document to the Clerk for that purpose shall be deemed to be the laying of it before the Dáil.

All documents laid before the Dáil shall be considered public.

Any Standing Order or Orders of the Dáil may be suspended or modified in effect for the day's sitting, and for a particular purpose, upon motion made after notice.

Provided that in cases of urgent necessity, of which the Ceann Comhairle shall be the judge, any Standing Order or Orders may be suspended upon motion made without notice. If such motion be opposed the Ceann Comhairle shall permit an explanatory statement from the member who moves it and a statement from a member who opposes it before he puts the question thereon.

The foregoing Standing Orders shall continue in force until altered, amended or repealed.