The Seanad to-day, after consideration of the Wireless Telegraphy Bill, made two verbal amendments. The first is in Section 4, Clause 6. The section before the Seanad read as follows:—
"Every regulation made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and if both such Houses shall, within twenty-one days, upon which either such House has sat next after the regulation was laid before such Houses, pass resolutions annulling such regulation, such regulation shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under such regulation."
The change made in the Seanad was to substitute "either such House" for "both such Houses," so that the section would read:—
"Every regulation made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas ... and if either such House shall, within twenty-one days ..."
A consequential amendment changes the word "resolutions" in line 62 of the same sub-section to "a resolution." The object of the change, in the mind of the Seanad, was to prevent a curtailment of its authority in acquiescence in regulations made governing the application of this Bill and laid on the Table of the respective Houses. The word "both" and the alternative word "either" have been, I think, on previous occasions the subject of controversy here, and in the majority of cases the latter word has been accepted. It is now merely suggested that the same should apply in this case. I see no objection to the inclusion of these amendments.