It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 3, 7 and 8; Private Deputies Business will be taken from 6 to 7.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business, I take it that, if there is a general feeling, as there well may be, that the Government's White Paper calls for discussion here, we can arrange for time to be provided through the usual channels and have a discussion on it?
Certainly. If either of the main Parties wish to have a discussion on it, either by way of motion submitted by them or some other way, I shall be quite prepared to facilitate such discussion on whatever day is regarded as suitable.
We propose to consider the White Paper today and, if we think it calls for discussion here, we will ask for that discussion.
I merely wanted to ask the Taoiseach if it was not possible to have this White Paper sent out sooner than it was, in fact, over the weekend. It was publicised on the radio and in the newspapers on Saturday morning.
It was deliberate.
Deputies in the country did not receive it until much later. In my case, I did not get it until 2.30 or 3 p.m. and Deputy Kyne did not get it until Monday morning. I suggest the Taoiseach should in future ensure that documents such as this will be in the hands of the members of this House simultaneously with its reproduction in the morning newspapers.
That appears to be a matter of organisation here in the House. Perhaps the Deputy would raise it with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
This is not the first time it has fallen down in that respect.
Did the Taoiseach himself see it early on?
Would the Taoiseach say when we are likely to see No. 11?
Before answering Deputy Norton's question, could I ask the leaders of the main Parties when we are likely to have a debate?
In about a week's time.
In a week's time?
No, no. That is the answer to Deputy Norton's question.
Might I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether he proposes to look for a debate on the White Paper as a matter of urgency?
I am afraid this is a most irregular procedure. I propose to ask your approval, Sir, although I do not approve of the system of drawing the Leader of the Opposition into Parliamentary Question Time: we propose to consider this White Paper on the first available occasion we have to consider it, which is today, seeing we got it only the day before yesterday. In the light of that consideration, we will then make our representations, as will the Labour Party, or any other Party, when they have had time to consider it.
Would the Ceann Comhairle consider the matter as quickly as possible because the Labour Party have been making representations, and they are a great deal more interested in this than the Fine Gael Party, with all due respect.
With regard to the Order of Business, may I suggest to the Taoiseach that, in the ordinary course of events, it is unreasonable to order a Bill sooner than ten days after it is circulated. In the ordinary course of events, when a Bill is received by the Opposition, they want an opportunity to read it, first of all, and they then want an opportunity to consider its provisions when they meet again during the following week to deal with the Bill. The circulation of the Coast Protection Bill, and its being ordered for today, does not allow of that normal period to elapse. So far as this particular Bill is concerned, it does not actually inconvenience us in the slightest because the Bill is merely a rehash of something introduced here seven years ago and forgotten by the Government ever since.
In the normal way, notwithstanding the Deputy's derogatory remark, I would be anxious to meet him and accommodate him in this matter, but it will be appreciated that there is a desire now to bring forward legislation fairly rapidly because we will be moving into Financial Business in the course of a few weeks. For example, the Electoral Bill, which is a very large Bill, will be available to Deputies tomorrow and I am hoping we will have a Second Reading of that Bill next week because it is primarily a Committee Stage Bill, based on the agreed recommendations of the Joint Committee.
The Government are now suffering from the fact that they did not get the work done in the period in which it should have been done—before the Christmas Recess.
I feel sure the Taoiseach will agree with me that it is unreasonable to send out to Deputies a Bill on Friday morning and, without any consultation or discussion with the members of the different Parties, to ask us to come in here on the following Tuesday or Wednesday and consider those Bills. That is to reduce our procedure to a farce.
Of course, a great deal depends on the character of the Bills which come along. Many of the Bills coming along now are not likely to be contested in principle. If a Bill were likely to be controversial on Second Reading, then the opportunity for full consideration of it would be given to Deputies between the time of its introduction and its Second Reading.
We should have at least ten days before the Second Reading.
Standing Orders provided for not fewer than four days.
When is it likely the Book of Estimates will be circulated?
We are still arguing.
That accounts for the fact that so many of you pass each other without speaking these days.