I beg to move the Second Reading of the Medical (No. 2) Bill. This is a brief self-explanatory Bill for continuing existing arrangements under the Medical Acts which expire on the 21st February. It relates to continuing the present arrangements at the will of the Executive Council for another three months.
ORDUITHE AN LAE—ORDERS OF THE DAY. - MEDICAL (No. 2) BILL, 1926—SECOND STAGE.
Question—" That the Medical (No. 2) Bill, 1926, be now read a Second Time"—put and agreed to.
When will the Committee Stage be taken?
To-morrow, if possible.
I object. I think we should have a little more time between the stages. I hope the practice is not going to be resumed of rushing measures from stage to stage without giving due notice. This Bill does not require a lot of consideration, but I want to put in a protest against the resumption of the practice of taking stage immediately after stage without giving opportunity to Deputies who may not be in the House at the moment of knowing when a particular stage is coming forward. I think there should be notice given and opportunities afforded to Deputies so that they may come forward if they have an interest in a particular measure. I ask the Minister to postpone the Committee Stage for another day or two unless there are imperative reasons that it should be taken to-morrow.
The Bill must be law by the 21st February. Assuming a week must clapse from the date on which it has passed both Houses, it must pass the Seanad before the 14th February. We have now reached the 25th January. It is a non-contentious measure. The Second Reading has been agreed to. It is simply a continuation of an existing Act, no amendment other than the defeat of the measure being possible. I think the protest made by Deputy Johnson, unless it is for the purpose of making a protest against the practice, does not affect the issue so far as this measure is concerned.
There is one point which might be considered. That is as to whether we should not take four months instead of three months. Agreement has been given to the principle of the measure, which aims at keeping existing arrangements alive for the life of this Session. That is all that is wanted, and it is not intended to make a practice of taking stage immediately after stage. I quite agree Deputy Johnson is perfectly entitled to make the protest.
If the Minister, in suggesting the Committee Stage for to-morrow, had given anything approaching the explanation now given by the President, then the House would have accepted it, but this automatic assumption that things will pass just as they are indicated by the Minister is what I protest against.
It may be necessary to put forward an amendment to-morrow extending the period for another month.
Committee Stage ordered for Wednesday, 26th January.