It is proposed to take business in the following order: Items 7, 6, 15 and 14. Private Deputies' Business will be taken at 9 o'clock. It is proposed to ask the Dáil to meet on Friday.
Order of Business.
The normal Friday hours?
Yes.
I take it that normal hours on Friday means also the Standing Orders arrangement with regard to Private Deputies' Business.
Private Members' time will be allowed.
With regard to the motion put down dealing with the increased rates to be charged under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Act, will the Government give time immediately for discussion of that matter? It involves a very considerable number of people in very serious hardships in respect of which they have to make up their minds immediately.
We are naturally anxious to accommodate the chief Opposition in these matters, but, as everybody knows, we have a very heavy programme of work for this session, and I suggest that it might be useful if the Whips of the various Parties got together to consider the programme for the session and see whether it is possible to combine the discussions on these matters with some of the business likely to be ordered during the session, or to come to some other arrangement which would be mutually advantageous.
I want the Minister to understand that this is a much more urgent matter than a mere matter of deciding the programme for the session. It is a matter, to my mind, of urgent public importance which would warrant me in asking your permission, Sir, to move the adjournment of the House to-morrow, if I thought there was going to be any delay in dealing with the matter. A number of people are very heavily involved in commitments with regard to sites and plans for houses, entered into on the basis of a good faith understanding with the Government and local authorities. They are caught in a very serious financial position as a result of the decision to increase the rates on loans under the Small Dwellings (Acquisition) Act.
I have no desire to deprive the Deputy—I could not, in any event, do so—of any rights he has under Standing Orders. If he is seeking an accommodation with the Government, I think we would have to discuss it.
We gave notice that we proposed to raise it to-day.
The Dáil will sit on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week?
Yes.
Would the Minister be prepared to give Government time for a discussion of this matter this week?
Not this week.
In these circumstances, I shall have to ask you, Sir, to-morrow to allow me to move the adjournment of the Dáil on a matter of urgent public importance, because there are aspects of this matter which involve serious immediate difficulties for people in very difficult financial circumstances.
There are four motions standing in my name on the Order Paper, proposing the revocation of Orders made by the Minister for Industry and Commerce permitting an increase in the price of bread and flour. As these Orders, if they are to be annulled, have to be annulled within 21 days after the Dáil sits, may I ask if it is proposed to make time available for their discussion?
The matter will be considered.
Arising out of what the Tánaiste has said with regard to the order of business, I wish to inform him that we on this side are very anxious to have the earliest possible discussion on the Vote for the Office of the Minister for Finance which raises the entire financial policy of the Government. In the normal course, had the Taoiseach been here, we would have asked for an early discussion on the Vote for the Taoiseach's Department for the purpose of discussing general Government policy, but, in his absence, we desire to raise so far as possible general Government policy and particularly financial policy on the Vote for the Office of the Minister for Finance and to have that discussion at the earliest possible date.
The Government are naturally anxious to accommodate the Opposition in these matters, subject to the discharge of the business which we think has to be discharged in this session. It is a matter for discussion.
It is perhaps a rather unimportant matter in relation to the general discussion, but there is a Bill, the Intestate Estates Bill, which has been on the Order Paper since before the charge of Government. It was introduced and passed in the Seanad and some time should be provided for its consideration instead of leaving it on the Order Paper for so long.
I will ask about it.
Mr. Byrne
I was informed by officials of the Minister for Local Government that he would be making a statement on the matter of the Small Dwellings Act and loans under that Act. I want to know if the Minister will make that announcement so as to clarify the position and to ease the minds of 600 to 700 people in Dublin who are awaiting a decision on the matter.
That question was not reached to-day.
Unfortunately, my questions were not reached and, of course, I am in the hands of the House in that regard.
Mr. Byrne
Would it not be possible for the Minister to answer the question now and to make that promise?
Deputy Costello objected.
He objected to you.
Mr. Costello
Objected to the Minister for Finance.
In accordance with the practice which has been established, extra time will be allowed to-morrow, if necessary.