I move that leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to make further and better provision in relation to the defence of the State and the Defence Forces and to make provision for other matters connected with or incidental to the matters aforesaid.
Defence Bill, 1951—First Stage.
Would the Minister be good enough to indicate if there is any particular new feature in this Bill or whether it is a continuation of an old Bill.
The Bill, to all intents and purposes, is unchanged. There are one or two minor alterations, but they do not affect the Bill in the slightest.
It is the normal continuation Bill.
This is the main Defence Bill.
The permanent Bill.
Yes.
It is not the normal annual continuation of the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Bill?
No; that comes along later.
The Title says that it is a Bill entitled an Act to make further and better provision, and so on. If it is a completely new Bill——
This is the Defence Bill, 1951——
The permanent Bill.
——which has already been introduced on two former occasions.
And is being introduced now simply because of the intervention of the general election.
Is it not possible for the Minister to restablish the Bill on the Order Paper at the stage it had reached?
No.
Question put and agreed to.
Second Stage?
January 30th, 1952.
I gather that that is the resumption date?
Yes.
I have a complaint which I thought I should voice here, but I want to point out that I am at the moment in the wilderness with regard to it. May I mention it now, with your permission, Sir?
I do not know what the Deputy wants to raise. If a Deputy wants to raise a matter—perhaps Deputy Keane will sit down——
You might be as well in the wilderness for a while.
——it is usual to give the Ceann Comhairle notice of any matter to be raised. The Deputy has not given me any notice of anything he proposes to raise and I do not know what he proposes to raise.
With all respect, Sir, I mentioned it when the Minister for Social Services was speaking, during Question Time.
An interruption is not notice. If a Deputy wishes to give notice to the Ceann Comhairle, he either gives it through the Clerk or sees the Ceann Comhairle personally. That ought to be clear to the Deputy by now.
So far as the Ceann Comhairle is concerned, I should like to express my regret for remaining standing while he was speaking.