It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 12 and in No. 12, Vote 47. Questions today will be at 2.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
On the order of business, I think it right to say here that it appears to me to be a very strange order of business that we should take up today these two Bills affecting the municipal area of Cork city and county on a day when the bulk of Cork Deputies are engaged in a byelection in the very area to which this legislation refers. I do not know of any particular urgency which requires these Bills to be considered today rather than next Tuesday.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, if he objects, they must go back to the next sitting day which will be Tuesday week. The consequence of doing so, however, will be to postpone for that period the announcement of the date for the local elections this year because that announcement cannot be made until these Bills relating to Cork have been enacted.
I should be reluctant to use these powers to block these Bills but unless they are urgently needed, it would be manifestly more desirable to afford Deputies representing the area an opportunity of being present, especially when they have a very legitimate reason for being absent as they are actually engaged in the Cork by-election.
The election is over.
Yes, but the count is proceeding, and the Government should also know that Deputies on all sides of the House representative of Cork are in Cork on that business. I think, unless there is some special, urgent reason against it, it would be better to wait until the representatives of the area are here to express their views on them.
It would be possible, I take it, outside Standing Orders, to take those two items after Questions today by agreement with the House. Would that meet the situation?
I do not think it would. I do not think the Deputies will be here today to deal with these two Bills. Is there any particular urgency——
The element of urgency is solely that the order fixing the date for the local elections cannot be made until this legislation has been enacted.
Will that make such a terrible difference?
No, except that Deputies generally have been pressing for an indication of when this order will be made fixing the date of the local elections.
I take it the Taoiseach has hoped to take all Stages of these Bills today?
Yes.
If that is the only reason, I cannot see there is that element of urgency in them and I feel it is my duty to say that in the absence, on what I consider to be legitimate business, of Deputies on all sides of the House representing this area, it would be wrong to discuss these Bills, and accordingly I must withhold agreement from this side of the House to the consideration of these Bills today. I am prepared to consent that they shall be taken on the earliest sitting day hereafter.
I understand they cannot be taken today except by agreement.
Is it not possible for the Minister to announce the probable time of the local elections which is all that anybody requires and take the Bills on Tuesday week?
Would that not meet the situation? We would be quite prepared to agree to the Minister for Local Government, even if there were some technical departure from correct procedure, indicating that it was his intention on the passage of these Bills to fix a particular day.
The Deputy will appreciate that the purpose of these Bills is to divide the city of Cork into wards for the purpose of elections and this cannot be done until the adjustments of the city boundaries are made.
I appreciate that fully but to proceed with that business when Deputies from all sides of the House representative of this area are absent for a legitimate reason would be an abuse, and accordingly I withhold consent.
I do not think it matters much about the Provisional Order Deputy Dillon is speaking about. I intend opposing it.
Will the Deputy challenge a division? We should have a House here.
It will have to be postponed then.
Put it back to next sitting day.
Perhaps there would be a dissolution before next Tuesday week.
When we come to it, we will deal with it.