It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 2 and 9.
Order of Business.
Having regard to the reply of the Minister for Justice last week that it was not intended to process No. 9 to a conclusion during this session, can the Taoiseach say when it is proposed to bring the remaining Stages of the Bill before the House after the conclusion of the Second Stage?
I understand that the Government Whip has been in touch with the Opposition Whip in this regard and that the matter is being subjected to discussion between them.
Can the Taoiseach say when it is likely that the House will conclude the present session?
It is hoped to conclude on the 30th.
Is the Taoiseach aware that that is the day on which the last guillotine will drop? Is it intended to make any provision for an Adjournment Debate?
Not at this stage.
I know we will not have it at this stage but will there be an Adjournment Debate next week?
We have had many debates recently on economic and other questions. As the Deputy knows, we have made strenuous efforts to get co-operation from the Opposition to work a reasonable timetable but we have not been successful in this regard. It was because of this that the guillotine had to be introduced.
In effect, is the Taoiseach saying that there will not be an Adjournment Debate at the conclusion of the present session before the summer recess?
This was not contemplated but if the Deputy is making a request we shall consider it.
Not only ought the Government consider it but there should be no question about it if the Opposition request it because it is the normal procedure at the end of the year's session, that is, at the beginning of the summer recess, to have an Adjournment Debate. There has been such a general debate in each of the past ten years mainly at the request of the Opposition who are the parties now in power, with the exception of three years, 1965, 1969 and 1973 which were general election years. We do not know yet whether this is a general election year but so far it is not and, consequently, there ought to be an Adjournment Debate if the Opposition request it.
As I mentioned previously and this was not contested by the Opposition, we have made many modifications in the Standing Orders as a result of the committee which reported during the now Opposition's term in Government but which they did nothing about. All these changes are designed to facilitate the Opposition and have so been operated but up to now we have had no co-operation from the Opposition on agreeing to any change in sending Bills to special committees or on altering the timetable of the Dáil which met this year in January and which, with the exception of a short break at Easter, has sat continuously. Now, at the end of a long session the Leader of the Opposition requests time for an Adjournment debate in a year in which we have had recently a budget debate, in which we have yet to dispose of the second Finance Bill which will also afford further opportunity for debate but if the Opposition want an adjournment debate, we shall consider it.
The essence of democracy is public debate and, in particular, public debate in parliament. I hope we are not coming to the end of democracy.