The order of business will be as on the Order Paper, Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive. If business, as ordered, be finished to-day or to-morrow, the Dáil will adjourn until next Wednesday week, 20th of October.
Order of Business.
Does the Government regard it as important to dispose of the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Bill, this week, or perhaps the Vice-President would tell us whether it could not be left over for further consideration?
I should imagine the Second Stage could be disposed of this week.
Well, that would be all that would happen in any case, but what I am asking is whether he would allow the Second Stage to be taken, say, next week, if the Dáil sits, or the following week, if the Dáil does not sit next week.
If there is any strong desire expressed in the House to have further time to consider it I am at the disposal of the House.
It is a complicated Bill, the full significance of which we want to examine thoroughly beforehand. That is why I am asking the Vice-President to agree to its postponement until next week, or the following week if we do not meet next week.
So far as we are concerned, the matter is one of complete indifference to us and the convenience of other Parties in the House may be consulted. So far as we are concerned, we will be glad to fall in with any arrangement arrived at.
Could not the matter be opened to-day and then adjourned? It would save time and there is not much other business on the Order Paper for to-day.
If it is decided, after further consideration of this matter, to put in an amendment, it would not be possible to move it if the Second Reading is proceeded with to-day, and another course will have to be taken then in connection with the Second Reading. Will the Ceann Comhairle permit an amendment to be moved in connection with the Second Reading, if that is desired, after the Second Reading has been taken to-day, even though the further discussion would not take place for perhaps a week or ten days?
The Ceann Comhairle could not allow a reasoned amendment in the middle of a Second Reading debate.
In these circumstances, will the Vice-President agree to postpone it?
As suggested by the Deputy yesterday, I think it would be unwise to go on with the University Members Bill until the Panel Members Bill had been discussed. The only other business to-day is the conclusion of the debate on the Prices Bill and the Electoral (Chairman of Dáil Eireann) Bill, and these would not occupy, I take it, the whole of the time to-day.
There is no desire to obstruct the passage of the Bill. All we want to try to do is to regularise the procedure in case an amendment is moved to the Second Reading.
I think the procedure is all right as it stands.
I agree, but I was asking the Vice-President if he would agree to meet us by postponing it in case it is desired to move an amendment. Otherwise, if no amendment can be moved, a course of action is open to us which we might not desire to take. We would prefer to move an amendment.
I think we had better go ahead with the Bill.
Ordered: That business be proceeded with as announced.