Agreement with the Seanad amendments is reported from the Committee.
PUBLIC SAFETY (EMERGENCY POWERS) BILL, 1923. - THE DAIL RESUMES.
Now that we have given consideration in Committee to these amendments is not that the fulfilment of the motion that we have already passed? Can we go on to any further consideration of this Bill now without another motion?
The motion passed was: "That Standing Orders be suspended for the consideration of the Seanad amendments to the Public Safety (Emergency Powers) Bill before proceeding to the Orders of the Day." The consideration of the Seanad amendments took place in accordance with our Standing Orders, which prescribe that such amendments shall be considered in Committee, and the subsequent stages of the consideration of the Bill are, I think, the natural outcome of the consideration in Committee.
Will the Bill then not require to be submitted to us as amended?
Oh, no the Bill has actually been amended in the Seanad. We are not now amend ing the Bill; we are merely concurring in the Seanad amendments, and when we have done so the Bill becomes law in the form in which it left the Seanad. It left the Seanad with these amendments actually in it. That is the position.
The Dáil has been sitting in Committee discussing these amendments. Having sat in Committee a motion to agree with the Dáil in Committee must take a formal course, I take it. The motion of the Dáil that the Dáil agree with the Dáil in Committee must take the regular course.
In this particular instance we have no precedent except our own. For our own convenience it was decided that we would consider amendments from the Seanad in Committee and in the case of such amendments we have always received the motion for agreement immediately on coming out of Committee. That is the precedent established, and I think it is the only one we can find. In other places they do not go into Committee to consider amendments from the other House.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I move that the Dáil agree with the Committee in these amendments.
I second.
Question put and agreed to.
A message will be sent to the Seanad informing them that the Dáil has agreed with their amendments to this Bill.