I move that the Dáil sit later than 8.30 p.m. this evening, and that the motion for the adjournment be taken not later than 10.30 p.m. Last evening I said the Seanad resolution would be taken on this day week. The particular resolution I had in mind was the Seanad opinion of what was the intention of the Dáil when they passed a resolution in February last, and not resolutions of which notice has been given for the arrangements to be made in connection with the formation of the panel for the Seanad elections. I should also like to say that it was put to me last evening that the Dáil should not assemble on Tuesday next, as the local government elections are on that day. I have since been requested to consider not assembling until Thursday, as some Deputies are candidates at the elections and they consider it would be necessary for them to be present at the counting of the votes. I do not feel justified in refusing a request of that sort. However, I am informing the Dáil of it. The fact that we have to adjourn beyond Tuesday next will necessitate attendance here in the following week. That is to say, we will have to come back on the 30th June, and possibly, for the first two or three days in July. It is inevitable that we should come back the first week in July. After that I do not think it will be necessary for us to meet unless on the 9th July, the day for the selection by the Dáil of persons to form the Dáil panel for the Seanad election. I thought it was advisable to let the Dáil know at the earliest moment what day it was proposed to adjourn to on to-morrow. I do not think that we would effect our purposes by sitting late on Friday, or sitting on Saturday. There are two or three measures which it will be necessary to give notice to take out of the usual order in order to have them passed before the adjournment. These are measures that were introduced yesterday, and also the Sugar-Beet Bill. I think I am entitled to ask for a little earlier consideration of those measures, by reason of the fact that a long time will elapse before they will come up for consideration. In other words, the Sugar Beet Bill would come in the ordinary way before us on Tuesday next, but now it will not come up until Thursday.
SITTING OF DÁIL.
I do not know what is in the President's mind in regard to these matters, and in regard to the programme generally. It appears from what he said that he hopes still to be able to conclude the whole business on July 9th, leaving blank two days next week. There are a number of measures now being proposed; there are a number of measures that have not yet got to the final stage; and there are some measures to be introduced. The President, I think, is overlooking what I deem to be the necessity for having a discussion on last year's report of the Public Accounts Committee. I certainly cannot see that the business I foresee is likely to be completed by 9th July.
We are very thankful for the adjournment over Tuesday, so as to give Deputies an opportunity of voting at the elections, but we do not see why the Dáil should not meet on Wednesday, because the result of the counting of the votes will be the same whether Deputies are there or not. We did not ask for Wednesday. As to assembling here on July 9th, to deal with the question of the Seanad panel, I think it would be a very great hardship on Deputies to have to come here for that particular business alone. If we are going to assemble in the first week of July, perhaps the Seanad election panel could be arranged to be taken during that week? If not, could we not assemble during the second week in July and have all the business taken during that week? It would be too much to expect Deputies leaving here at the end of the first week in July to come back on the 9th July again for no other purpose than to select the Dáil panel for the Seanad elections. If that could be done it would meet our convenience.
Deputy Gorey does not remember that by 9th July there will be a certain number of Bills back from the Seanad, which will have to be taken into consideration.
Deputies should consider that we have not got through the Estimates yet, and there has to be an Appropriation Bill, which will have to be discussed here, then go to the Seanad and come back here. We have not yet reached what is, perhaps, the most important set of Estimates we have to discuss, namely, those of the Department of Industry and Commerce.
I understood that some Deputies wished that the Dáil should not meet on Wednesday, but as nobody has given expression to that point of view, I waive Wednesday.
Deputy Gorey has lost sight of the fact that next Wednesday is Derby Day.
No such information was conveyed to me. I do not think any Deputy who spoke to me concerning Wednesday was interested in what takes place in Deputy Conlan's constituency on that day. I undertook to give a certain number of hours for Estimates. I admit it was an elastic arrangement. But the programme I have outlined would indicate that that time has not elapsed. As a matter of fact, a greater number of hours will have been afforded the Estimates than was originally promised. The same might be said as regards the Finance Bill and the Budget resolutions. It will, I think, be possible to get the business done without any undue haste, save only in respect of the number of days that might elapse between a certain stage of a Bill and a later stage, and that it would be possible for us to do what I have said. If, on the other hand, it is preferred that we should not assemble in the first week of July, but rather in the second week, and at the end of that week to take the vote for the Seanad election panel, I have no objection.
Are we to understand that all the Bills proposed to be introduced this Session have been introduced?
I think not. There may be other Bills yet to be introduced, but I do not anticipate taking them beyond the First or possibly the Second Stage. So far, we have spent 78 hours on the Estimates. I undertook to give 90. This is in excess of what was given last year. For the Finance Bill and Budget Resolutions we estimated I think 35 hours. We have already spent 31.
I think the President will remember that the Independent Group asked that priority in discussion, or at any rate, an early discussion, might be given to the Estimates for the Department of Industry and Commerce. They were postponed solely because of the pressure of work on the Minister, and as they could not be taken earlier, I think we are entitled to have a full discussion on these Estimates. We allowed them to be postponed to convenience the Government, and I do not think that fact should prejudice our desire to have a full discussion of them.
I have no desire to burk any discussion on them, but I do say that if everything is looked for by everybody and somebody at the last moment says: "I did not get as much as somebody else," I cannot meet that. That is unreasonable. There are twelve hours still for the discussion of the Estimates. Some of them got very much more consideration than they would in ordinary circumstances. It would have been impossible for the Minister for Industry and Commerce, with the Shannon scheme on, and the Bill that is at present before the Seanad, to have come here earlier, but it is not intended to limit the amount of time that will be taken on the Estimate for that particular department.