It is proposed to take No. 4 on the Order Paper—Votes 41 to 29, inclusive; public business not to be interrupted at 12 o'clock to take Private Deputies' time. It is hoped to finish the business of the Local Government Estimate by 2 p.m., but if that appears unlikely, it may be necessary, before 12 noon, to move that the House sit late.
Order of Business.
What does the Minister mean when he says it is hoped to finish the business of the Local Government Estimate? Does he include national health insurance and widows' and orphans' pensions?
I had hoped that we might be able to finish these Votes also, but I understand that that is unlikely. If there is a likelihood of getting the main Estimate by 2 o'clock this afternoon, I am quite willing not to take the other Votes to-day, if the House agrees.
But the Minister says that if he gets the main Estimate by 2 o'clock we will not sit late.
Not later than 2 o'clock.
That is, just to finish that Estimate?
Yes, so I understand.
That is just it. The Ceann Comhairle does not know, and I do not know.
I understood the Tánaiste to say that if he got the main Estimate before 2 o'clock no motion would be moved to sit late.
That is the main Estimate—the one we are discussing—and if that were finished we would leave the others open.
The House understands that it will be too late to move to sit late unless the motion is taken before 12 noon.
Suppose it were not possible to finish the main Estimate by 2 o'clock?
Well, I think it would be unreasonable to leave the main Estimate in the air until after Easter.
Speaking purely for us —the Labour Party may have a different view—we take the view that it would not be fair to sit late unless the main Estimate were not finished.
We agree to that.
Then it may be taken that the House will not sit later than 2 p.m. if Vote 41 is finished by that hour.
What happens then?
Estimates will be discussed till 2 o'clock.
I hope an effort will be made to finish by 2 o'clock.
It would be better to move to sit late now in order to finish Vote 41, the House understanding the intention of the motion.
To sit late till some hour?
Would 4 o'clock be suitable?
That is quite agreeable to us.
The understanding is that Vote 41 will be finished by 4 o'clock, and that the Minister will be allowed at least half an hour in which to conclude.
It will not matter whether we finish the Vote before 4 o'clock or not. I take it that when you are finished, you will adjourn?
Yes.
Perhaps it might be better to say 6 o'clock.
The Minister might now move to sit up to 6 o'clock, if necessary.