Next Stage?
Offences Against the State (Amendment) Bill, 1972: First Stage.
Leave granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Offences Against the State Acts, 1939 and 1940.
—(Minister for Justice).
Wednesday next.
Can the Minister tell the House when the text will be available?
On Monday of next week. The Bill is a short Bill and there will be two full days to consider it.
It may be short, but it may be very important. Does the Minister consider that such an important Bill published on Monday, and which may not be in the hands of some rural Deputies until Tuesday, should be debated on Wednesday, the following day?
I think two days will be ample time to consider it. The Bill is not a long one.
The Minister may think that two days are ample but we might have a different view from the Minister.
I put it seriously to the Minister that there are times when rural Deputies do not get these Bills until they come to Dublin on Tuesday, if they are posted to their homes on Monday. We may be on our way to Dublin and may not get the Bill until Tuesday.
If the Minister wants the next Stage on Wednesday, could he not make the Bill available earlier —this week?
If it is a short Bill, printing cannot be a problem.
No. The Bill will be available on Monday.
The Communities Bill was a short Bill also. I want to say, in any case, that if the Bill is not in the hands of members of our party within a reasonable time we will object to having it taken on Wednesday.
It would be a matter for the House.
Of course. You have a majority. I want to tell you what the view of my party is.
We know well you will try to steamroll it through.
Do the Labour Party want to prevent the Bill from being passed?
We do not know what is in the Bill. How can we tell you whether we want to try to prevent it or not? We want ample time to consider it. The fact that you have made a mess of things for the past 2½ years does not hamstring us.
(Cavan): If this is the sort of Bill in regard to which the Minister wants co-operation, he should co-operate with the House.
Hear, hear. We all feel that very strongly.
For a short Bill, the time is more than ample.
The Minister was telling us a few months ago that it took months to prepare it.
The Minister said it presented extraordinary difficulties in drafting.
Is it not normal to order a Bill for a certain day subject to further agreement and discussion? I do not know what the fuss is about.
We just want time to consider the Bill. We do not know what is in it. Twenty-four hours would not be sufficient.
You will get it.
Second Stage ordered for Wednesday, 29th November, 1972.