It is proposed to take the business as on the Order Paper, Nos. 1 to 8 inclusive, Private Deputies' business to be taken at 8 o'clock, or immediately on completion of public business. I think it has been arranged that Vote 72—Emergency Scientific Research Bureau—copies of which have been circulated—be taken at 6 o'clock.
Order of Business.
Would the Tánaiste indicate what are the proposals for the Christmas recess? Is the House likely to adjourn this week or next week?
It is proposed to adjourn to-morrow until the first Wednesday in February.
Will you have a general election in the meantime?
No.
The Minister for Local Government wants it.
I thought the Labour Party wanted it.
Might I ask when motion No. 10 is to be taken?
It would be very hard to say when that will come up, because there are a number of other motions in front of it. It may not come up until this time 12 months.
After the general election?
Could we not get Government time for it?
Is the Deputy asking for special time for it?
Yes.
And we adjourn to-morrow.
There will be time enough in February if the Taoiseach says we are not having a general election.
The Minister for Local Government is not satisfied with that.
When we come back after the recess, if the Deputy wants time——
Could we not have it on Friday, or next week?
If there were any feeling in the House generally that the matter is of such urgency that we should meet on Friday to discuss it, I should certainly be glad to discuss it with the Deputy or anybody else who is particularly interested in the matter of arranging time.
Mr. Byrne
The Tánaiste has suggested that it should be discussed after the recess. I want to know whether the Tánaiste will say that before embarking on an election he will give us an opportunity of deciding the matter by free vote of the House?
I said, in answer to a question, that there is not going to be an election—of course, I cannot foresee some extraordinary thing that might happen—before the reassembly of the Dáil.
That is hard on the Minister for Local Government.
As far as this motion is concerned, I want to say that I thought we would have been asked before this for time to discuss it. Since the motion was put down, I expected we would be asked to give time for it, and I was prepared to give that time, but it is only mentioned now when the adjournment has been arranged for. However, if there is any feeling in the House that this matter should be discussed, an arrangement can be made with the Whips.
Will the Taoiseach say that there will be an opportunity given to the House to debate this question and express its opinion on it before dissolution?
I have told the House that there will be no general election before we reassemble. In fact, I told the House already my view with regard to a general election when we were discussing this question of elections. It is to this effect, that we ought not to have a general election until a reasonable time before the date on which the law provides that this House should, in fact, be dissolved.
Then there will be plenty of time to debate this motion?
I expect so.
Who is Deputy Cole's Whip?
When is it proposed to take No. 1—Registration of Title Bill?
I intend to take it now, if I may.