It will be within the recollection of the House that on the last occasion this Bill was before the Dáil the Minister for Industry and Commerce suggested that it should be adjourned in order to enable him to reconstitute the Committee, so that they might examine some statistics and data which had come into his possession since they reported previously. He did reconstitute that Committee and the report has been received. As the Minister is absent, perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary will be able to tell the House what the present position is.
Private Deputies' Business. - Workmen's Compensation (Increase of Compensation) Bill, 1929.—Report (Resumed).
The report of the Committee was only received in the Department a few days ago and, in the absence of the Minister, I am not in a position to make a recommendation to the Dáil on the report. I would, therefore, suggest that the Bill should be adjourned for, say, a fortnight or a month, if Deputy Rice is agreeable, in order to have consideration given to the report of the Committee.
Could we get any information as to what Committee is referred to—is it the Committee on the Bill?
I stated that the Minister had requested an adjournment in order to have certain data and statistics, which had been received by his Department subsequent to the report of the Committee, examined by the Committee so that they might report to him on them. He re-assembled the Committee, but the report was only received within the last few days. The Minister, I understand, is absent elsewhere on public business and, with the leave of the House, I suggest that the further consideration of the Bill be adjourned to enable the Minister to put the facts he has obtained before the House.
I am not quite clear yet. Deputy Ruttledge and myself were members of the Committee on the Bill and that Committee was not reconstituted.
That is not the Committee.
What is the Committee?
The Departmental Committee which reported originally to the Minister on this matter.
It was a report which was received some time before the Bill was introduced. After the Bill had been considered by the Committee which the Deputy refers to, certain statistics and data, which had been gathered by the Department, were received by the Minister. He was anxious that these new figures should be examined by the Committee in view of the terms of the Bill. He re-assembled the Committee for that purpose, and we are now informed that the report has been received within the last few days. In these circumstances, I suggest that the Bill be allowed to stand over for two or three weeks, to enable the Minister to deal with the matter.
I suggest that the report of the Committee to which Deputy Rice refers should be circulated to Deputies before the Bill is again considered. If the facts are such as to justify the postponement of the Bill, Deputies would like to know what the facts are, so as to be in a position to discuss the Bill and, if necessary, amend it.
It is not usual to circulate the report of a Departmental Committee. Of course, the facts as reported to the Minister will come out when he makes his statement to the House.
Was not the original report of the Committee published and circulated?
Yes.
Mr. O'Connell
What objection can there be to allowing Deputies to have the second report of the Committee?
After the Minister has considered it?
Mr. O'Connell
Yes.
I would not be prepared to circulate it before it has been considered by the Minister and decided upon.
I am suggesting that it should be circulated before this Bill is again taken in the House.
Yes, I will give that guarantee.
Report stage adjourned to 13th November, 1929.