I have nothing further to add to what I have already said, in view of the Minister's remarks the last evening this motion was before the House.
Private Members' Business. - Road Accidents—Motion (Resumed).
The following motion was proposed by Deputy D. Costello on 7th November, 1956:—
That it is expedient that, in view of the great number of road accidents, many of them fatal, a Joint Committee consisting of ten members of the Dáil and five members of the Seanad be appointed to consider what action should be taken to secure the greater safety of pedestrains and road-users; such Committee to have power to send for persons, papers and records.
Debate was resumed on the following amendment proposed by Deputy Childers on that day:—
To delete all words after "That" in line 1, where it firstly occurs and substitute:—
"Dáil Eireann is of opinion that, in view of the increasing congestion of traffic on the roads and of the large number of fatal and serious accidents, the Government should without delay bring before the Dáil comprehensive proposals for dealing with the problem."
There is an amendment in the name of Deputy Lemass which was moved by Deputy Childers. I am putting the question that the words in the motion, proposed to be deleted, stand.
Question put and negatived.
Question—"That the proposed words in the amendment be there inserted"—put and agreed to.
Motion, as amended, put and agreed to.
In view of the Minister's remarks, I wish to withdraw my motion.
It would have been necessary for the amendment to have been withdrawn first. I have already put the question in such a way that the amended motion has been agreed to.
They are not there.
The best way is to leave it, as the motion has been amended and agreed to.
I understood, in view of the Minister's statement, that he was introducing legislation——
The motion could not have been withdrawn unless the amendment had been withdrawn.
I understood that the House voted that the words——
I put the question to the House that the words proposed to be deleted stand. The House negatived that. The words in the amendment to the motion were then inserted and I put the motion, as so amended, to the House. Did Deputy Lemass want to withdraw the amendment?
Mr. Lemass
I thought the Government accepted it. The Minister for Local Government said they accepted it, but I take it that Deputy D. Costello withdraws the motion.
That is what I tried to do. I understood the Minister to say that he was bringing in legislation——
Obviously I could not allow the motion to be withdrawn unless the amendment had been withdrawn previously.
Mr. Lemass
I take it that the amendment was put first and accepted.
I actually put the question that the words proposed to be deleted stand and the House negatived it in order to make room for Deputy Lemass's amendment, which was accepted.
Mr. Lemass
We approve of it.
Very well.