It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 15 and 16; Questions today will be at 2.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
When is it proposed to take the Succession Bill?
I should say the week after next, I suppose.
In regard to that, the Minister for Justice made it known in a series of public speeches that he intends radically to alter the draft of the original Bill. That being so, would the Taoiseach consider the desirability of redrafting the whole Bill?
The amendments relate only to a couple of sections in the Bill.
It is hard to know. According to the statements made by the Minister for Justice at various gatherings, it is proposed substantially to remove Part IX of the Bill and other provisions. It is extremely difficult to deal with a technical Bill of this kind subject to vast amendments. Perhaps the Taoiseach would consider the desirability of redrafting the whole Bill?
The Bill should take considerable time and should get considerable time from the Dáil in Committee but the sooner we get to the Committee Stage, the sooner we will be able to get on with these amendments.
I think the Taoiseach, on reflection, will agree that it seems to be a daft kind of procedure to discuss on Second Stage principles of a Bill which the Government have announced they intend to alter fundamentally.
The Minister will certainly explain when introducing the Bill the full scope of the amendments.
It makes the Second Stage discussion virtually meaningless because we cannot discuss what is actually in the Bill because what is on the face of the Bill is no longer in the Bill. Perhaps the Taoiseach would consider whether it might be desirable to redraft the Bill with the amendments proposed by the Government and let us discuss it on the Second Stage or Committee Stage as the Government mean to sponsor it? I am satisfied that it would result in very much more expeditious passage of the Bill if that course were adopted.