It is proposed to take the business as set out on the Order Paper in the following order: Items 3 and 4.
Order of Business.
Could the Taoiseach tell us when the following Bills, the Social Welfare (Insurance) Bill, the Sea Fisheries Bill, the Defence Bill and the Veterinary Surgeons Bill, all of which were introduced last July, will be circulated?
The Sea Fisheries Bill will be circulated in about three weeks. The Veterinary Surgeons Bill is in course of preparation and it will take some time to make certain matters in it clear. I am afraid it will not be circulated before Christmas. The Defence Bill is at the moment with the printers and it is hoped it will be circulated during the week-end. As regards the Social Welfare (Insurance) Bill, if the Deputy would be kind enough to repeat his inquiry this day week I will be able to give him information.
I should like at this stage to mention that there is another Bill on the stocks, the State Guarantees Bill, 1948, and that will have to be reconsidered. The proposal is to move for an Order to have the Second Reading discharged, so as to give us an opportunity further to consider this measure.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the Fianna Fáil Party have already decided to oppose the Social Welfare Bill before it is even printed or circulated?
Is the Deputy aware that several members of his Party have threatened to resign if the Bill is not made law this year? Are they going to do it?
That is an extraordinary statement. The Deputy evidently has been mixing with bad company.