Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Apr 1944

Vol. 93 No. 9

Report of Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach (Mr. Kissane)

I wish to put the report of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges before the Dáil:—

The Committee on Procedure and Privileges has been considering the most effective means of meeting the situation that has arisen owing to the repercussions of the curtailment of rail facilities to and from Dublin on the meeting of the Dáil for the next few months and has unanimously decided to recommend the adoption by the House of the following temporary arrangements:—

(1) The Dáil to meet on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only, in order to enable Deputies from country constituencies to avail of the rail services on Mondays and Thursdays; and the sitting on those days to be from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., continuously;

(2) In connection with the debates on the outstanding Estimates for Public Services this year, maximum time-limits to be imposed on the speeches of all members taking part in the debates, as follows:—

(i) Concluding speech of the Minister or Parliamentary Secretary in charge of the Vote—45 minutes.

(ii) One member of each Party or Group in the House (other than the Government Party)— 30 minutes.

(iii) All other Deputies—20 minutes.

An Ceann Comhairle

Ordered that the report do lie on the Table.

Mr. Dillon

I will oppose the adoption of that report with all the resources at my disposal. I beg Deputies, particularly those recently elected, not to be misled by the Parliamentary Secretary——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy seems to be under a misconception. This is the adoption of the report of what did happen. Before the recommendation can be put into operation there must be a motion which will be set down for Tuesday next.

Mr. Dillon

That motion has not been moved now?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Parliamentary Secretary is now giving notice that it will be on the Order Paper for Tuesday.

Mr. Dillon

It has not been moved?

An Ceann Comhairle

It will not be under discussion until Tuesday. I take it there is some opposition?

Mr. Dillon

Yes, vigorous and protracted, if needs be.

Mr. Kissane

I beg to move the adoption of the report now.

Mr. Norton

Could we get a clarification of this point? The proposal is that the House should sit at 10 a.m. next Tuesday.

An Ceann Comhairle

The proposal of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges that the House should sit on Tuesdays and Wednesdays of each week from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. was unanimous.

Mr. Norton

The point I want to make is this. I understand from the Parliamentary Secretary and from the discussion at the meeting of the committee that this scheme was to be operative as from Tuesday next.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is so.

Mr. Norton

The proposal is that the House should meet at 10 o'clock on Tuesday. When are we going to discuss the motion which assembles the Dáil at 10 o'clock on Tuesday next? I take it that, as the motion is not moved, the Dáil will not meet until 3 o'clock on Tuesday.

An Ceann Comhairle

There could be agreement on that, but on the question of the curtailment of speeches there is disagreement.

Mr. Norton

We have no evidence of that. Deputy Dillon has not developed his point as to whether his objection is to the hour of meeting or to the restriction on the duration of speeches.

Mr. Dillon

If this new arrangement is to come into operation on Tuesday it must be apparently as a result of some act of this House. My objection to the proposal of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges is exclusively on the ground of the limitation of the right of Deputies to speak in this House, and in defence of that I will use every Parliamentary resort I can avail of.

An Ceann Comhairle

That will arise on Tuesday. The question now is whether the House will meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday by agreement.

Mr. Dillon

You are dividing this Report into two parts, then?

An Ceann Comhairle

I took it that there was no opposition to meeting on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Mr. Everett

Yes, there is; I oppose it on behalf of my Party.

Mr. Spring

On behalf of those who have to travel very long distances to attend the Dáil, I should like to say that the proposal to sit on two days a week is ridiculous. I would agree that the Dáil should meet every morning at 10 o'clock. I believe that we should sit for five days on each alternate week: that we should meet for five days in one week, adjourn for the next week, and then come back again, because by coming here for two days in each week we are depriving other people of transport facilities—people who might have very important business to attend to in the city.

An Ceann Comhairle

To put the matter in order there should be a definite motion to sit at 10 o'clock next Tuesday morning.

Mr. Coburn

I understand that before these recommendations can be put into operation there must be a motion before the House, and it appears to me, from what I have heard here, that that motion will be put before the House next Tuesday. Accordingly, I take it that Deputy Norton's point is whether next Tuesday's meeting is to be held at 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is my point also. The question is when the motion will be put before the House.

Mr. Dillon

What is wrong with disposing of the matter at once now? Could we not dispose of it now?

An Ceann Comhairle

To dispense with the four days' notice, the Chair would require the unanimous consent of the House.

Mr. Norton

If it were the unanimous decision of the House to do so, would the Chair permit discussion now, in lieu of the four days' notice?

An Ceann Comhairle

Certainly, if that is the unanimous wish of the House.

Deputies

Agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

In accordance with the unanimous desire of the House, the motion may proceed now.