I move:
That the Order for Second Stage be discharged and that the Bill be withdrawn.
Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments (European Communities) Bill, 1987: Motion to Discharge Order for Second Stage.
Is that agreed?
Might I comment on that? It seems that, in removing this Bill from the Order Paper, the Government are trying to reduce the business of this House. Whereas I welcome the use of the Seanad in the processing of Bills through Second Stage debate and in the originating of Bills — when there is a lot of business before this House which cannot be fully processed — I regret the fact that it appears to be the decision of this Government that this Dáil will go into recess on 26 June, although no one in this House has been willing to admit that this afternoon.
The Deputy is again deliberately circumventing an earlier ruling of the Chair.
I am addressing this Bill. This is a Bill of some considerable importance in the area of legal reform. We are one of the few countries in Europe that has not enacted the necessary legislation on foot of the European Convention on the recognition and enforcement of civil and commercial judgments.
The reason this Bill is being withdrawn from this House and put into the Seanad — instead of this House fulfilling its legislative role — is that the Government party wish to close down this House as early as possible, and flee this House for the entirety of the summer months. It is a relevant point to make. This Bill, having been introduced and had a First Reading in this House some weeks ago, there is no logical reason this House cannot process Second Stage and the various Stages through before the summer recess and then allow the Bill to go to the Seanad. There is one reason only this Bill is being withdrawn today, that is the desire of the Government to get out of this House and to diminish the legislative role this House should play.
Nonsense.
The Deputy is indulging in continuous repetition.
It is only proper and correct that notice should be given that that is the intention of the Government. There is a vast amount of legislation that could be usefully brought before this House and enacted during the next few months. In the context of the massive amount of legislation that needs to be enacted by the Oireachtas, including this Bill, there is no valid reason this House cannot process this Bill and other measures through the month of July, come back at the beginning of September and get on with the legislative process, which is what the general public and the electorate wish to see us do.
Question put and agreed to.