I suggest that the House adjourn until 7 o'clock. Item No. 13 was not expected to be reached until 8.30 p.m. or 9 p.m. I am sure that none of the Members who have put their names to this motion will be available at this hour of the evening to contribute to the debate.
Business of Dáil.
The House works on the principle of the boy scouts — bí ullamh.
Táimse féin anseo chun labhairt ach tá mé ag smaoineamh ar na Comhaltaí eile nach bhfuil anseo agus sílim gur chóir am a thabhairt dóibh teacht isteach sa Teach.
Tá seanfhocal ann a deireann mar leanas: "An té 'bhionn amuigh fuarann a chuid." Mar sin féin cuirfear scéal chucu go bhfuilimid ag buaileadh ag aghaidh.
I appeal to you to put it to the House to adjourn until 7 o'clock. It is an important motion which has international significance and it would be unfortunate if only two or three speakers were here. We should allow other Deputies who have indicated their interest in the subject to make their contribution. I am proposing that the House should adjourn until 7 p.m.
One hour has been allocated for this item. At least two of the main speakers are present. No doubt word will get around. We can have word sent to other speakers who are likely to contribute. It must be borne in mind that there would be 20 minutes remaining after the adjournment at 7 p.m. for Private Members' Business. The Deputy will gather that I am reluctant, especially since he and the Minister of State are present.
Speeches are confined to ten minutes. If it goes ahead now, the debate will be over at 6.35 p.m.
As a former Minister of State I am happy to fill the bill, but I understand our spokesman will be here in a moment.
It will be 6.20 p.m. by the time we commence. The Minister of State will have ten minutes, as will Deputy De Rossa and a speaker from Fine Gael. Inevitably one other speaker will come, which will bring us to 7 p.m. Twenty minutes will remain for two other speakers after Private Members' Time. I think I have convinced the Deputy.
I am half trying to delay the House and half trying not to delay it.
The Deputy, if he were wise, would never disclose strategies of that kind which he might be harbouring.
I am trying to be honest in the sense that I did propose that the House should adjourn. I still think it would be the best course. There is a clear interest in this debate among Deputies inside and outside the House, but it was not expected to commence until at least 8.30 p.m. and possibly 9 p.m.
Three main speakers are here.
There is no speaker from the Progressive Democrats or the Labour Party because they could not have expected this item to arise so soon.
On a point of order, it was ordered to be taken when business was concluded. There was no question that it might not arise before 8.30.
In view of the fact that we have an additional three-quarters of an hour available to us, I propose that we eliminate the ten minutes limit on speeches.
The Chair has learned the sad lesson that where one departs from what is ordered, inevitably the end result cannot be as satisfactory as one anticipates, apart from the fact of being quoted, at some other less favourable time, as having established a precedent. The final proposition I will put to the Deputy is that we commence now, in accordance with the order. If, as we move along, more time becomes available, we will send word to the Whips that they can get together if they want to extend the ten minutes to 15. I think that the end product will be as favourable as the Deputy would have wished, and we will not have gone against what is ordered. The Deputy must bear in mind that even though he would have proposed that we adjourn, there would have to be agreement of the House, and I do not feel disposed to seeking that. With the Deputy having succeeded, on his own admission, in advancing the time by five minutes, I think he could agree now that we proceed, and I am quite sure that everything will work out as he wishes.