It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 10 and 2. There will be no Private Members' Business.
Order of Business.
Could the Taoiseach say when the Electoral (Amendment) Bill will be circulated?
It was promised for today.
Yes, it was promised for today.
I think the promise will be kept.
Will we have it in our hands today?
It will be circulated this evening.
(Interruptions.)
The Taoiseach is going to assert his control over you.
The battle is over.
On the Order of Business, can the Taoiseach say when time will be provided for Motion No. 42?
I will communicate with the Deputy. I have not given it any consideration in the last few weeks.
Is it Government time which is being allowed for this motion?
We were promised it.
We did promise it.
It is a public matter.
Does the Minister for Local Government still think that the Electoral Bill will be completed before Christmas?
Yes.
All your Members must have agreed to the cut-ups.
In relation to Deputy Cosgrave's question, I should like to say, as a former chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, that the Committee functions effectively, as does the Comptroller and Auditor General, so long as it is manifest that they are supported by this House. If their reports or interim reports are treated as being indefinitely postponed, I want to suggest to the Taoiseach that the Committee of Public Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General will lose all authority over public expenditure. For that reason I would ask the Taoiseach to give the earliest possible consideration to Motion No. 42 which calls on the Dáil to take note "of the Interim Report dated 13th December, 1967 of the Committee of Public Accounts". That is nearly 12 months old and it raises an immensely important constitutional question as to the extent of the jurisdiction of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
I had arranged that it would be taken towards the end of the last session but I think the Whips agreed that because of the pressure of business——
(Interruptions.)
Deputies
The referendum.
That had nothing to do with it. I told Deputy Cosgrave that I had not given it any attention since but I will communicate with him at an early date. This is the first time I have been asked about that since then.
The Taoiseach will agree that it is a matter of substance?
Oh, yes.