Do I understand that portion of this Bill has relation to the extension of the time to be spent by our troops in the Congo?
Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 1960—First Stage.
Leave granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to authorise, subject to the previous approval of Dáil Éireann in certain circumstances, the despatch of contingents of the Permanent Defence Force for service outside the State with international forces established by the Security Council or the General Assembly of the United Nations for the performance of duties of a police character, to extend the area of service of certain members of the Permanent Defence Force, and for those purposes to amend the Defence Act, 1954, in certain respects and to provide for other related matters.—(Minister for Defence).
No. It is to enable troops to be sent elsewhere in similar circumstances. There is no question of extending the period of service of the troops who are already there. The Bill will be circulated not later than the 19th November and it is proposed to take the Second Stage on the 23rd.
The 19th is a Saturday.
I suggest that we order it for the 23rd.
It is not reasonable to circulate a Bill on a Saturday and ask us to consider it on the following Wednesday.
We can order it provisionally for the 23rd.
Second Stage ordered for Wednesday, 23rd November, 1960.