When is it proposed to take the Second Stage?
Adaptation of Enactments Bill, 1931—First Stage.
Leave given to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the adaptation to the circumstances of Saorstát Eireann of Acts passed by a Parliament sitting in Ireland at any time before the coming into operation of the Union with Ireland Act, 1800, and orders, rules and regulations made under such Acts.—[Minister for Justice (Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney).]
On Wednesday.
We have not got the Bill yet. Surely the Minister does not intend to take the Second Reading without the Bill having been circulated?
This Bill will be circulated. I can assure the Deputy that it is a perfectly innocuous Bill.
I should like to see it first.
If the Deputy on Wednesday asks that it should not be taken we will consider that.
I have a rooted objection to taking the Second Reading of any Bill, innocuous or otherwise, with less than a fortnight's time to consider it. Even the most formal consideration could not be given to any Bill in such a short space of time as this.
Did the Minister say that if objection is taken on Wednesday he will not proceed with it?
We can postpone it until Thursday.
That would not be satisfactory either.
It is only a one-clause Bill.
The Minister may be in a tremendous hurry to get King James's law made law in this country. Perhaps there is something of that kind in the Bill. I have only just read the long title. It may go back to 1647 or 1680 or 1690. That might be a desirable thing from some point of view, but, at all events, the Acts at that time applied to all Ireland. Whatever the Bill proposes to deal with, as a matter of order and procedure I shall certainly object to its being considered on Wednesday or Thursday, or before Wednesday week at the earliest.
I am afraid the Deputy does not quite know what an Enactment Order means. It does not deal with specific Bills. The Orders will have to be laid on the Table of the House.
It has no reference to King James.
Unless agreement can be reached we must put the motion that the Second Reading be taken on Wednesday.
Could the Deputy not wait until he sees the Bill?
I have no particular objection to or wish to see this Bill, but, on principle, I object to Bills being rushed in this fashion without very grave reasons.
Question—"That the Second Stage of the Bill be taken on Wednesday next"—put and declared carried.