Could the Minister make any statement as to whether the Liquor Bill amendments will be taken this evening? If there would only be time to take three or four of them this evening, would it not be better to leave them all over until Tuesday?
PUBLIC BUSINESS. - ORDERS OF THE DAY.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I think it would be better perhaps to postpone the Committee Stage of the Bill until Tuesday. If it were necessary, I could go ahead to-morrow, as I am in the position to deal with all the amendments bearing on the question of hours. Amendments to other parts of the Bill were coming in up to a late hour yesterday afternoon, and we have not had time to consider all of them. If it were the wish of the Dáil to take the beginning of the Committee Stage this evening or to-morrow, I feel I would be in a position to deal with as many amendments as we would be likely to cover.
In view of the large number of amendments and the short time at the disposal of Deputies to study them, would the Minister not consider the question of postponing the Committee Stage definitely until Tuesday?
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I am in the hands of the Dáil.
There is a difference between the Committee Stage and the Money Resolution. It is possible that the Money Resolution may occupy a longer time in discussion than the Second Reading. Perhaps the view of Deputy Redmond would be met if the Committee Stage were postponed until Tuesday, but the Money Resolution might be taken immediately after Supplementary Estimates.
The Committee Stage of the Land Bill is tabled for to-morrow, and we would be glad to have it deferred until Thursday, next week, as the sales are on on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Is it in order to table the Committee Stage of a Bill before the Bill has passed Second Reading? We have, in fact, no assurance that it will pass Second Reading.
Deputy Wilson has used the phrase simply to indicate that there was an intention to take the Committee Stage to-morrow.
In view of what Deputy Johnson has said, I think there is a further reason for asking the Minister to postpone both the Money Resolution and the Committee Stage of the Liquor Bill until Tuesday, because if what Deputy Johnson says takes place, and the Money Resolution takes a long time to discuss, it would be better to start the proceedings on Tuesday, rather than have them carried over to-morrow. There is, apparently, sufficient business to carry the Dáil over to-day without considering the Money Resolution.
I assume that those who are opposing the Bill would want to have a full discussion on the Money Resolution. If the Deputy, however, is throwing up his hands there is no point in my observation.
There could, I presume, be a full discussion on the Money Resolution if it be taken on Tuesday.
Is the Dáil going to meet to-morrow?
That depends on the amount of business. The only business would be whatever would be left over from items Nos. 4, 5 and 7, together with the Resolution from the Seanad. We were pressed last week to give two days, and now when we have offered three we are asked to postpone certain business.
We are not urging that the business for to-morrow should be postponed until next week. We think you should go on to-morrow.
With the Land Bill?
No.
Mr. HOGAN
I am willing to have the Committee Stage of the Land Bill adjourned until next week in view of certain representations that have been made to me.
I think the only way in which we could settle this problem would be to have a definite number of hours allotted to each particular item on the Order Paper. In that way we could decide what particular matter we could take to-morrow at 12 o'clock. We have never done that and, I take it, it will not be done for some time. It is impossible to state now what business will remain over until to-morrow. The Second Stage of the Land Bill has not been concluded, and the Minister for Lands and Agriculture has not replied. The Committee Stage of the Army Pensions Bill has only just been entered upon. There are the Supplementary Estimates and the Message from the Seanad to be discussed. I think it is reasonable to expect that the Money Resolution in connection with the Intoxicating Liquor Bill would not be reached until some time to-morrow. I take it, therefore, that the Committee Stage of that Bill is definitely adjourned until Tuesday without any formal order being made.
Are we to take it that the time has expired for sending in amendments to the Liquor Bill? If so, could we have all of them circulated before the week-end so that Deputies in their spare time could study these very interesting amendments?
Amendments to the Bill are being circulated as they are received.