I move:—
In Sub-section (1), line 15, before the words "The Minister," to insert the words "on and after the first day of January, 1928."
That is to say, to postpone the coming into force of the Bill for a period of a little less than two years. There are a number of reasons for doing so. The first is the fact that this Bill has not been produced in response to an overwhelmingly popular demand. It has sprung out of the brains of the Ministry, urged by no outside consideration, so far as we can judge. In a country where resolutions spring up like weeds and spread more widely than weeds, there has not been, as far as I know, a single resolution demanding a separate and new coinage. I do not think that even the County Cork Farmers' Union, who pass resolutions on every subject under the sun, have passed a resolution demanding a new coinage.
There is no urgent popular demand for this change. As I say, it has been incubated and introduced by Ministers alone, and they have given themselves ample time to consider this matter. They have thought over it for two years, for more than two years. Since the President was Minister for Finance, nearly two and a-half years, the subject has been under consideration. It takes such a long time to make up a great mind, and when the great mind is a collective mind it seems to take longer still. I am only asking that members of the Oireachtas should have the same opportunity as Ministers. The Minister for Finance said himself on Second Reading: "As a matter of fact, this particular proposal was considered very carefully, and all sorts of people were asked for their views in writing on it. People whose views would be valuable, and who have given study to the matter, were asked for their views in writing." Should not Deputies have the same opportunity of careful study, and, if the results of their study suggest it to them, have opportunities of bringing in an Amending Bill? I do not think that is an unfair thing to ask. There are very few people in this country who have knowledge of questions of coinage. I have, in the limited time at my disposal, tried to approach those whom I could discover who could speak with authority on the question. I do not pretend to speak with any authority myself.
I never yet had time to undertake the necessary study—a study of books —on the question, that is really necessary here if we are to approach the subject properly. On the whole question there has been very little argument, very little detailed consideration, and I do think that rushing this into law after it has been considered for two years or more by the Executive Council, and for two months by the Oireachtas, is not the best method of approaching a question of this kind. There are many underlying questions. For instance, we have been told that we are going to get a profit of some £600,000 as a result of the Bill, and that was very naturally welcomed by the Dáil. I think we might study it more carefully, and employ the time I am asking in considering the question of how exactly that £600,000 is going to materialise. We are going apparently to ask the British Government to coin for us shillings containing—this is only an illustration—roughly speaking ninepence worth of silver. Ultimately these coins will be paid for with silver coins withdrawn from circulation here, not immediately but ultimately. Therefore we are going to pay for shillings containing ninepence worth of silver, with shillings containing sixpence worth. That is what the present ratio to the British shilling is. The British Government are going to be obliging enough to say that these shillings which contain 6d. worth of silver contain a full shilling's worth, and take them at their face value. Has any agreement been reached on that subject? I gathered from the President that the British Government has not been approached on this matter. Certainly if they agree to do it they are either the most philanthropic or the most foolish of mankind. The Minister will, I hope, state if he has made any arrangement, and if not, is there any precedent for this? The only one I know is not entirely convincing.
That is one reason. Another reason is that any change of this kind should be undertaken gradually. We should have a little more knowledge about the form of the coin. We do not know whether the nickel coins are to be pierced in the middle. We should have a little more knowledge as to the manner and the date on which it is to be introduced. We should have more knowledge as to the steps that are going to be taken to gather in the other coinage. On all these points we are entitled to ask for a little more delay and more consideration. The mature consideration that the Executive Council gave, and rightly gave, to the matter, should be succeeded by an equally mature consideration on the part of the Dáil and of the Seanad. I therefore beg to move the amendment.
