Vol. 24 No. 2
I move:—
In page 6, line 9. Section 10 (5) to insert before the word "heather" the words "whins, furze."
The words "gorse, whins and furze" are practically synonymous terms in some parts of the country. What is known as gorse in one part of the country is known as whins or furze in another. The object of the amendment is to make the matter clear. This is purely a drafting amendment. The Committee agreed that this Bill would be re-committed.
Did the Minister say that this Bill was to be re-committed?
Yes.
Does that mean that we can go over all the sections again?
No. The understanding was that the Bill should be taken through Committee and that Deputies who had amendments down to it should not push those amendments to a vote, because an amendment defeated on Committee could not be moved again on Report, but that when the Bill was reprinted with the Minister's amendments there would be no objection on the Report Stage in the case of Deputies desiring to move amendments to the taking of those amendments in Committee. In fact there are no amendments. Is the Deputy satisfied?
I may be wrong about this, but I do not think that I got my copy of the Bill, with the Minister's amendments in it, until yesterday or the day before. I did not know that the Report Stage of the Bill was coming on so soon. It may be that it was my own fault that I did not get the Bill until yesterday.
The Committee Stage of this Bill was taken on Wednesday last. There were a number of amendments to it in my name, amendments which altered it in a very radical way. On the Committee Stage we discussed how we would deal with my amendments. Deputies from all Parties pointed out that it was difficult to examine the amendments, as they had only been on the Order Paper for a short time. I think it was the Ceann Comhairle who suggested that we should take the amendments as they stood and insert them in the Bill. On that, I gave the undertaking—I think some Deputy suggested that I should give it—that on the Report Stage the Bill could be re-committed, and that in the meantime Deputies would have the opportunity of examining the Bill with my amendments in it. Deputies could see for themselves whether the amendments I had inserted met the points that had been put up on Second Reading. I think the Bill, with my amendments, was reprinted almost immediately. When I saw the Order Paper yesterday, with only one amendment on it, I took it for granted that Deputies generally agreed with the amendments which I had inserted. These amendments met the points Deputies had raised on the Second Reading, and therefore I thought that they had quite deliberately refrained from putting down any amendments for the Report Stage. That is the position.
The Bill was not circulated among Deputies until yesterday.
There was undoubtedly a definite undertaking that Deputies would get a chance of looking at the Bill as amended, and for that reason the Report Stage was put off for seven days. It is obvious there has been some misunderstanding, that the Bill has not been read, and that Deputies who intended putting down amendments have refrained from doing so. In that state of affairs it would be advisable to postpone the Report Stage for a few days.
I think that would be advisable. From what Deputy Ryan has said there was not a clear idea of the procedure.
Going into Committee again does not mean that all the sections will be taken in Committee, but that any amendments that are down to the Bill would be considered in Committee. That would be giving a better opportunity for discussion than could be had on Report when Deputies are restricted to one speech. If the Bill was only circulated yesterday it was impossible for Deputies to put down amendments, so that it is necessary to have this Stage postponed to give them their last chance of putting down amendments.
When the term "another Committee Stage" was used on the last occasion the Bill was before the House, I thought what was meant by that was that we would have a sort of Second Reading, and then go into the Committee again.
Under the circumstances, I suggest that the Report Stage be postponed until Wednesday.
Deputies must put in amendments relating to this Bill as now reprinted. I understand the Bill was sent out on Saturday evening.
Order discharged. The Report Stage postponed until next Wednesday.
