Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Nov 1923

Vol. 5 No. 15

BUSINESS OF THE DÁIL.

AN CEANN COMHAIRLE

Before we enter on the business, I want to remind the Dáil that the debate upon the motion of thanks to the Governor-General for his Address was adjourned yesterday and should be taken up as first business to-day, and that, I understand, is the intention. Subsequently, on the Order Paper there are five Bills down for Second Reading, that is, Numbers 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8. It has been suggested to me that it might be convenient to take all the Second Readings before entering upon the Committee Stage of the Civil Service Regulation (No. 2) Bill, or the Report Stage of the Courts of Justice Bill. But that arrangement, if it is agreed upon, would want to be made before we enter upon the business.

Agreed.

Mr. DARRELL FIGGIS

May I ask if we can be given any idea as to the nature of the business that will be before us to-morrow and whether we shall meet in the ordinary course of events as is usual at 12 o'clock noon.

MINISTER for HOME AFFAIRS (Mr. O'Higgins)

On the question whether we meet in the ordinary way on Friday, the suggestion has been made that we should meet to-morrow at 3 o'clock to enable Deputies to attend the funeral of the late Mr. Derham, T.D. That is a matter that we are prepared to leave to the Dáil as a whole. As to the question of the business, I think it is unlikely that we will get through the whole of our programme for to-day, but at the moment I cannot say what other business will be before the Dáil to-morrow.

Mr. DARRELL FIGGIS

The reason I ask was that the President yesterday intimated that the Minister for Finance would make a statement to-morrow, and I wondered would it be possible for the Minister for Finance, if here, to make his statement immediately after questions to-morrow and before we proceed with the other business?

Mr. O'HIGGINS

The statement will be made to-morrow, either by the Minister for Finance or some substitute for him, immediately after question time.

AN CEANN COMHAIRLE

Are we to assume that the hour of meeting, which was changed to 12 o'clock on Fridays, to suit the convenience of Deputies, will be 3 o'clock to-morrow, and that the adjournment will be taken at 8.30, as usual, and that the statement, either by the Minister for Finance or on behalf of the Minister for Finance, will be taken immediately after questions? With regard to the other business, it is not very likely that the Courts of Justice Bill (Report Stage) will be finished to-day. I think there are 48 Amendments, which will be hardly got through to-day. The other business is the Local Authorities Indemnity Bill and the First Reading of a Railway Bill, which should appear on the memoranda, but does not.

Mr. GOREY

We have no objection whatever to the meeting of the Dáil at 3 o'clock, but a good many Deputies arranged to get away at 4.45, and I think they will find it difficult to cancel these arrangements. We want to facilitate the Government in every way, and we will agree to meet at 3 o'clock, but to carry on till 8.30 would not fit in with our arrangements.

Mr. O'HIGGINS

The suggestion must not be regarded in any real sense as a Government suggestion. It comes from private members. If any alternative arrangement is made, whether by pairing or otherwise, it would suit quite well. The matter is one for private members, and we are not pressing it in any way.

Mr. GOREY

We fall in entirely with the idea of meeting at 3 o'clock, but would it not be possible to adjourn at 4 o'clock?

AN CEANN COMHAIRLE

That is, after an hour.

Mr. GOREY

Yes. It may seem ridiculous, but it would fit in with our arrangements.

Mr. O'HIGGINS

I think we might leave this over until this evening, and in the meantime there can be a discussion between the various parties themselves.

AN CEANN COMHAIRLE

The suggestion is that Deputies might meet and discuss the matter between themselves with a view to finding facilities. There are some Deputies who will not find it possible to be here in time for the opening of the sitting, and possibly would prefer not to be here at all to-morrow.