The Agricultural Credit Bill from the Seanad—amendments made in the Seanad to be considered in Committee.
PUBLIC BUSINESS. - SEANAD AMENDMENTS.
On a point of order, these amendments have only been received and I doubt whether any Deputy has had an opportunity of examining them and comparing them with the Bill. It seems to me quite impossible for the Dáil to give consideration to these amendments with any intelligence, and I do not think we should be asked to deal with them at this short notice.
There are three Bills named in an additional Order Paper which has been circulated. One of these is the Electricity Supply Bill, containing a good many technical amendments. I am with Deputy Johnson in this, that unless it is absolutely necessary these Bills should not be taken to-day. It is quite impossible, at the moment, to say what our views on these amendments will be.
That is altogether a matter for the Dáil itself to decide. The meeting to-day was called for the purpose of transacting business received from the Seanad. This is the business received from the Seanad. It is printed and is now in the hands of Deputies, and it is for the House to say whether it will now take it or postpone it to a later time, subject to the motion already passed that the dissolution shall take place on the 23rd May.
Is there any reason why we should not sit to-morrow and discuss these amendments?
One of the difficulties is that if the Dáil only finished with this Bill to-morrow it might possibly have to go back to the Seanad, and the Seanad would have to meet on Monday, and there might be some difficulty getting the differences between the two Houses finally arranged. Even if we take it to-day, it may be necessary for the Dáil to meet again on Monday if we send things back to the Seanad and do not get agreement.
Is not that, in effect, a command that this Dáil must, on pain of postponing the General Election, pass these amendments without understanding them? For my part, I decline to take any responsibility in discussing these amendments in view of the impossibility of reading them in the three-quarters of an hour that they are in our hands.
The whole list of amendments, in the case of the Agricultural Credit Bill, amounts to about 32, and there are only three that are not, more or less, drafting amendments.
We may be justified in taking the Minister's assurance, but we ought to know from our own reading of these amendments, whether that is a fact or not.
Mr. HOGAN
That is easily ascertained.
Standing Order 114, which governs this matter, says:
(1) "Messages from the Seanad shall be received by the Clerk at the Table. The Ceann Comhairle shall, at the first convenient opportunity during the sitting in which it is received, communicate any such Message to the Dáil: Provided that in case of special urgency any business in progress on the receipt of such Message may be interrupted to hear the same. When the Dáil is not sitting, Messages from the Seanad shall be received by the Clerk."
The Dáil is in possession of the Messages, and it is for itself to decide what it intends to do about the matter.
(2) "If a Message from the Seanad requires any action to be taken or thing to be done by the Dáil, it shall be set down on the Order Paper next thereafter prepared, and shall be considered accordingly: Provided that in case of special urgency the Dáil may consider such Message at any earlier period."
Would it not put the matter in order if the Minister were to move that this is a case of special urgency; otherwise they should be put on the Paper for to-morrow, in accordance with the Standing Order?
If the Minister moves that the amendments to the Agricultural Credit Bill be considered to-day, that would decide the question.
Possibly it would save the time of the Dáil if the Minister for Finance would move that all the amendments made by the Seanad be considered to-day.
There are other Bills from the Seanad besides the Agricultural Credit Bill. Deputy Cooper suggests an omnibus motion.
There is no reason why the Medical Practitioners Bill should not be taken, because the amendment is merely nominal.
Deputy Johnson does not know that.
The objection holds to any amendment made in the Seanad and of which notice has only now been received.
Mr. HOGAN
I move that the amendments received from the Seanad be taken to-day as a matter of special urgency.
In reference to the Agricultural Credit Bill or all the Bills?
Mr. HOGAN
To all the Bills.
I think we should have that motion from the Minister for Finance.
I move accordingly that the Seanad amendments to the Medical Practitioners Bill, the Electricity Bill and the Agricultural Credit Bill be considered to-day.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 31; Níl, 17.
Tá
- Earnán de Blaghd.
- Séamus Breathnach.
- Seoirse de Bhulbh.
- Próinsias Bulfin.
- Máighréad Ní Choileáin Bean
- Uí Dhrisceóil.
- Liam Mac Cosgair.
- Maolmhuire Mac Eochadha.
- Patrick McGilligan.
- Eoin Mac Néill.
- Seoirse Mac Niocaill.
- Liam Mac Sioghaird.
- Michael K. Noonan.
- Peadar O hAodha.
- Seán O Bruadair.
- Risteárd O Conaill.
- Osmond Grattan Esmonde.
- Desmond Fitzgerald.
- Thomas Hennessy.
- Patrick Leonard.
- Seosamh Mac a' Bhrighde.
- Donnchadh Mac Con Uladh.
- Parthalán O Conchubhair.
- Máirtín O Conalláin.
- Eoghan O Dochartaigh.
- Séamus O Dóláin.
- Peadar O Dubhghaill.
- Eamon O Dúgáin.
- Risteárd O Maolchatha.
- Pádraig O hOgáin (Gaillimh).
- Seán O Raghallaigh.
- Seán O Súilleabháin.
Níl
- Earnán Altún.
- John Conlan.
- Bryan R. Cooper.
- Séamus Eabhróid.
- John Good.
- William Hewat.
- Séamus Mac Cosgair.
- Tomás Mac Eoin.
- Pádraig Mac Fhlannchadha.
- Tomás de Nógla.
- Aodh O Cúlacháin.
- Liam O Daimhín.
- Mícheál O Dubhghaill.
- Seán O Laidhin.
- Domhnall O Muirgheasa.
- William A. Redmond.
- Liam Thrift.
Tellers.—Tá: Deputies Dolan and P.S. Doyle; Níl: Deputies Morrissey and Cooper.
Motion declared carried.