Before we proceed to public business, may I ask the President is he in a position to make a statement, such as he made yesterday, as to the hour at which the debate on the Governor-General's Address will be resumed? Does he propose to go on with the Courts of Justice Bill to-day? That would perhaps be more convenient and he could leave to-morrow for the debate on the Governor-General's Address.
ORDER OF BUSINESS.
If that be the general view of the Dáil, I am agreeable. It was my intention to take up the debate on the Governor-General's speech at 5 o'clock, but if it is the desire of Deputies to postpone it until to-morrow we can do so.
I think it would be more convenient to have it to-morrow.
Very well. Might I ask the Dáil to consider a proposal that the two Bills, which were given a Second Reading yesterday, will also be taken to-morrow. They are formal Bills, and it is advisable in the case of one of them that it should be passed into law without delay. It was our intention not to meet next week in view of the many circumstances which I suppose it is not necessary to go into. At least two members of this Dáil will be absent next week, possibly for seven days. It would be advisable that some consideration should be given to the absence of important members of particular Parties whom public business calls elsewhere, and if the Dáil would facilitate us in the taking of those two Bills to-morrow it would, I think, avoid a meeting next week and would give us much more time to deal with matters of pressing importance which are rather difficult to settle while the Dáil is sitting.
Does the President propose to adjourn for one week?
Yes, for one week, but I will make a statement on the matter to-morrow.
Does the President propose to finish the Courts of Justice Bill before the adjournment to-morrow?
If possible.
Then the arrangement would be to continue the Courts of Justice Bill in Committee for the whole of to-day's sitting to see what progress is made?
Yes.
That meets Deputy Cooper's point. Now with regard to the order for Committee for next Tuesday.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I think the President has asked whether the Dáil would be prepared to take the Committee Stage of the two Bills read yesterday a second time. They are non-contentious. There would be an official amendment to one of them, which I could circulate this evening if the arrangement is to take the Committee Stage to-morrow.
Is that agreed?
Agreed.