It is proposed to take business as on the Order Paper:— Items Nos. 5, 4, 6 and 7, item No. 2 —Money Resolution—to be taken in its appropriate place. Private Deputies' Business will be taken at 9 p.m., when Motions Nos. 2 and 3 on List No. 11 will be resumed. Private Deputies' Business will be taken earlier if Government business should finish before 9 p.m.
Order of Business.
It is proposed to adjourn this week for the Christmas Recess?
It is hoped, with the co-operation of all Parties, to be able to do so.
When is it proposed to order No. 3 on the Order Paper?
To-morrow.
I wonder if the Tánaiste feels it necessary to proceed with this motion before Christmas. We have had very short notice and we are to get it on what may be the last sitting day before Christmas.
It is obviously better to have a motion of this kind passed before the Adjournment than to have it coming up at the commencement of a session.
It may be a motion which will give rise to a lot of contention and may, therefore, take a lot of time. Is there any reason why we should proceed with it before Christmas?
It is contemplated that the Joint Committee would meet during the Recess.
The Minister can understand that we regard the motion as a fantastic one, which will not be accepted here.
Surely that is a matter for the House to decide?
We will hear the House on it.
Before we get to that stage, maybe the Tánaiste would indicate to the Government that it is not desired to proceed with it before Christmas. Perhaps he would bear that in mind and have it postponed.
If there are good reasons which can be advanced, they will be considered, but it certainly seems desirable to have this motion discussed before the Adjournment instead of at the commencement of the next session.
It affects all Parties and the other Parties do not want it discussed now.
It seems to be a sensible course to provide that a Joint Committee of this kind would meet when the Dáil is in Recess. That is the normal practice and it makes for the convenience of Deputies as well as for expeditious work.
I would not like these remarks on the Order of Business to pass without comment.
The Deputy is entitled to ask questions on the Order of Business, but not to comment.
Well, I would like to comment on this. There is already one Joint Committee of the Dáil and Seanad sitting to deal with the Seanad, trying to clean up another of the Government messes.
Are we going to have a debate on this, as if so, I would have a few words to say?
It seems that during the Christmas Recess we are going to cover up some of the other messes of the same kind.
The licensed slanderers in the Opposition apparently do not want this.