I move that leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Constitution by deleting the provisions now contained therein as to the manner of filling the place of a member of Seanad Eireann who dies, resigns or becomes disqualified and by providing in lieu thereof that the place of such member shall be filled by an election at which the electors shall be the members of Dáil Eireann and the members of Seanad Eireann voting together and by making consequential amendments as to the nomination of candidates and the mode of voting at such elections.
CONSTITUTION (AMENDMENT No. 11) BILL, 1928—FIRST STAGE.
We intend to oppose this Bill.
Does the President desire to make a statement?
No.
We intend opposing this Bill. We intend also opposing the First Readings of all these Bills, because we are opposed to the principles of the Bills. The electorate that is suggested is the members of the Dáil and Seanad voting together. When we remember that there are 60 members of the Seanad and that there are, roughly, 150 members here in this House, to allow the Seanad to take part in voting for the filling of any vacancies gives the Seanad altogether an undue power —the power of reproducing itself. If we remember the conditions under which the Seanad was set up, and remember that the main intention then was to give undue power, under weight, to a certain section of the community, I think we ought to be very careful before we give it the power to reproduce itself. Whatever reasons there might have been four or five years ago for thinking that a certain section of the community required special protection and required to be given certain privileges over and above those to which they would be entitled by their numbers, there ought to be no reason to-day, and consequently——
The Deputy is really making a Second Reading speech on the Bill. To-day we have only to consider the motion that leave be granted to print and circulate this Bill so that its contents may be examined and debated. The Deputy cannot anticipate that debate now.
Well, we are indicating the reasons why we think that this House ought not give this Bill even a First Reading. The fact is that it is a diminution of the powers of this House which have been derived directly from the people, whereas the Seanad was largely—half of it, at least—a nominated body at the start, and on the last occasion on which there was a popular election a large section of the people practically boycotted that election and only 23 per cent. voted. The suggestion now is that here we are to have a Seanad, composed in that particular fashion, given 60 votes in the election of members of the Seanad, as against 150 votes to members in this House. Therefore it gives, as I say, a Seanad, that was set up under very exceptional circumstances, powers which we contend they should not have. The situation originally was very different from that which has actually arisen. To give this Bill a First Reading now and to admit this Bill is simply taking away all the powers of the people and practically putting a nominated Seanad in control. That is mainly the reason why we think it ought not get even a First Reading.
Question put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 76; Níl, 38.
Tá
- William P. Aird.
- Ernest Henry Alton.
- Richard Anthony.
- James Walter Beckett.
- George Cecil Bennett.
- Ernest Blythe.
- Séamus A. Bourke.
- Henry Broderick.
- Seán Brodrick.
- Alfred Byrne.
- John Joseph Byrne.
- Archie J. Cassidy.
- Patrick Clancy.
- James Coburn.
- John James Cole.
- Mrs. Margt. Collins-O'Driscoll.
- Hugh Colohan.
- Martin Conlon.
- Michael P. Connolly.
- Bryan Ricco Cooper.
- William T. Cosgrave.
- James Crowley.
- John Daly.
- William Davin.
- Michael Davis.
- Eugene Doherty.
- James N. Dolan.
- Peadar Seán Doyle.
- Edmund John Duggan.
- James Dwyer.
- Barry M. Egan.
- Osmond Thos. Grattan Esmonde.
- Desmond Fitzgerald.
- James Fitzgerald-Kenney.
- John Good.
- Denis J. Gorey.
- Alexander Haslett.
- John J. Hassett.
- Michael R. Heffernan.
- Michael Joseph Hennessy.
- Thomas Hennessy.
- Mark Henry.
- Patrick Hogan (Galway).
- Richard Holohan.
- Michael Jordan.
- Patrick Michael Kelly.
- Myles Keogh.
- Hugh Alexander Law.
- Patrick Leonard.
- Finian Lynch.
- Arthur Patrick Mathews.
- Martin McDonogh.
- Michael Og McFadden.
- Daniel Morrissey.
- Richard Mulcahy.
- James E. Murphy.
- Joseph Xavier Murphy.
- John Thomas Nolan.
- Thomas J. O'Connell.
- Bartholomew O'Connor.
- John F. O'Hanlon.
- Daniel O'Leary.
- Dermot Gun O'Mahony.
- John J. O'Reilly.
- Gearoid O'Sullivan.
- John Marcus O'Sullivan.
- William Archer Redmond.
- Vincent Rice.
- Martin Roddy.
- Patrick W. Shaw.
- Timothy Sheehy (West Cork).
- William Edward Thrift.
- Michael Tierney.
- Vincent Joseph White.
- George Wolfe.
- Jasper Travers Wolfe.
Níl
- Frank Aiken.
- Denis Allen.
- Gerald Boland.
- Seán Brady.
- Robert Briscoe.
- Daniel Buckley.
- Michael Clery.
- James Colbert.
- Eamon Cooney.
- Thomas Derrig.
- Eamon de Valera.
- Frank Fahy.
- Patrick John Little.
- Ben Maguire.
- Seán MacEntee.
- Séamus Moore.
- Patrick Joseph O'Dowd.
- Seán T. O'Kelly.
- Matthew O'Reilly.
- Hugo Flinn.
- Andrew Fogarty.
- Seán Hayes.
- Patrick Hogan (Clare).
- Patrick Houlihan.
- Stephen Jordan.
- Michael Joseph Kennedy.
- William R. Kent.
- James Joseph Killane.
- Mark Killilea.
- Michael Kilroy.
- Seán F. Lemass.
- Thomas O'Reilly.
- James Ryan.
- Martin Sexton.
- Timothy Sheehy (Tipp.).
- Patrick Smith.
- Richard Walsh.
- Francis C. Ward.
Tellers.—Tá: Deputies Duggan and Peadar Doyle; Níl: Deputies Gerald Boland and Allen.
Motion declared carried.
Second Reading Stage fixed for Wednesday, 20th June.