Is is intended to take the Mental Treatment Bill in this session?
Business of the Dáil.
The business for the rest of the session will include the concluding Stages of the Rent Restrictions Bill, the Army Pensions Bill and the Defence Bill, Dairy Produce Marketing Bill, the Electoral Bill, the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Bill, the Transport Bill and the Second Stage of the Mental Treatment Bill. The Second Stage only of the Mental Treatment Bill will be taken and further consideration adjourned until after Christmas. I hope the House will be able to get through the Dairy Produce Bill this session. We shall try to get as far as possible with it. There may, perhaps, be one other Bill which has not yet been introduced. I contemplate that the Dáil could adjourn perhaps on the 15th of the month though this may involve sitting for three days on that week.
We shall want an adjournment debate before the House rises.
In that case, hopes of adjourning on the 15th may have to be modified.
Could the Taoiseach say definitely if it is the intention to pass the Electoral Bill before the House adjourns?
I do not foresee that will offer any great difficulty. The Bill, to a great extent, is only to implement what I understand are unanimous recommendations of the Committee set up to deal with the matter.
A substantial number of recommendations are issued by the Committee after each meeting.
There are provisions in this Bill designed to carry on certain temporary provisions which are due to expire at the end of December. Therefore, it will be necessary to enact the Bill before the end of the year. Later there will be another Bill to cover the further recommendations from the Committee.
Will the second Bill be put through the House before the General Election?
That is another matter.
There are quite a good number of provisions in the electoral laws which go back to Victorian days.
Is it intended to take the Mental Treatment Bill next week or the week after?
I should think the week after although I would not like to commit myself. It is a matter that can be discussed.
We would prefer it the week after next.
It is likely to be taken on the Tuesday of that week.
Could the Taoiseach confirm on what days we are sitting next week?
The House will sit on Tuesday and on Wednesday. It will sit from 3 p.m. on Tuesday and from 10.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday.