Tá ceist seo an chórais aistriúcháin dá tarraingt anuas 'chuile sheachtain agus ní thig liom geallúint a thabhairt don Seanadóir ná don Teach go mbeidh an córas aistriúcháin insealbhaithe faoi Cháisc nó ina dhiaidh. Bhí mé i dteagmháil, maidir leis an gceist, leis an Taoiseach, leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Máire Geoghegan-Quinn agus leis an Teachta David Andrews atá ina chathaoirleach ar an chomhchoiste don Ghaeilge. Labhair mé le mó ghrúpa féin, freisin, agus leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Pat ‘The Cope' Gallagher, ina thaobh. Beidh an cheist ar chlár an Choiste um Imeachtaí agus Pribhléidí anocht, agus ní thig liom rud ar bith eile a rá ina thaobh inniu.
It is not my job to make a decision as to whether changes should take place in regard to Committees of this House or Joint Committees; it is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and I am sure that matter will be raised when the matter of changes in the House is discussed by that committee.
Senator Staunton asked a question in connection with a foreign affairs committee. This is a matter which has been raised here on numerous occasions. The Government have not set up a joint foreign affairs committee. I am sure the matter will be raised again with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I would say, however, we have not balked from having discussions in this House on matter relating to foreign affairs. There have been more discussions in this House on matters of current interest in foreign affairs than there has been in the other House. We have had co-operation in this matter from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and we are getting a reasonable run at that.
I meant to answer as a matter of courtesy to the House the question on the Bill relating to the abolition of hanging but, since it was raised as a straight question, I can say that this Bill is very far advanced. As to the question of whether it will go through in this session of Parliament, I would say that matter will be before the Dáil and Seanad within the next month. I would not like to say two weeks but I guarantee the matter will be brought before the Oireachtas within the next month.
Item No. 30 will not be ordered for today. I am afraid I cannot accede to the request for a two hour debate on Private Members' time this evening for a very technical reason in that we had asked the Minister to come in at the end of the debate next Wednesday evening and I cannot suggest that at this stage because I have not discussed with the Minister whether that would be possible. Obviously, it is not a matter of contention. Of course, there is a very good reason why it would be better for the Opposition side to have this go through because it would cut this side out of debate. They would get in more often in a longer debate which, I presume, would possibly be anti-Government, or maybe not. It might not have entered the Opposition's heads, but in principle it is better to have a three hour debate rather than split it into two debates of one-and-a-half hours' duration. Technically, this evening we will go to 8 p.m. If we can go on to 8.30 p.m. and conclude it, well and good; but, if it cannot be arranged with the Minister in between, we will have to take that next week.
Mention was made of the Horse Breeding Bill and the request by Senator Doyle that the Horse Advisory Council should have a part to play in this Bill. We are commencing Second Stage debate on that Bill tomorrow. I would suggest that, between Second Stage and Committee Stage there will be plenty of time to have discussions with that body. They have seen the Bill——