Perhaps some Senator will move the adjournment. I have received a note from the Cathaoirleach stating that there are one or two not urgent Bills—one, I think, to which there is an amendment— and that in view of the special meeting of the Seanad to-day he does not consider it necessary to have a meeting on Wednesday. I understand there will be several important Bills ready by the following week, and that it is certain we shall have to have a meeting on Wednesday week. Under the Standing Orders, under which he is entitled to act when he considers there is not sufficient urgent business, he asked me to announce to-day that there would not be a meeting on Wednesday.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE SEANAD.
AN LEAS-CHATHAOIRLEACH
I beg to move the adjournment of the Seanad until Wednesday week.
AN LEAS-CHATHAOIRLEACH
You need only move the formal adjournment.
On that question, if the business that is coming before us is not likely to occupy more than a day, why not adjourn until a later day in the same week—say Friday?
AN LEAS-CHATHAOIRLEACH
I did not state the business was not likely to take more than a day. I do not think it is possible to estimate now. Our Standing Orders provide definitely that we should meet on Wednesday each week unless there is no business or unless, in the opinion of the Cathaoirleach the business is not of sufficient importance, so that our Standing Orders definitely provide that we should meet on Wednesday week in view of the Cathaoirleach's decision in the matter.
According to what you have said, it would be rather taken out of the hands of the Seanad and put into the hands of the Cathaoirleach. I think that power which was given to the Cathaoirleach was only to be exercised when the Seanad is not in Session, and not when it is actually in Session, as it is at present. I think, therefore, it would not be within his power to make such an arrangement over the heads of the Seanad when in Session, so that a Senator could not do what one Senator has done just now, propose that the Seanad should adjourn to a certain date. I think it is quite in the hands of the Seanad to make such a motion.
AN LEAS-CHATHAOIRLEACH
I think there is a certain amount of misunderstanding. Senator Bennett proposed that we should adjourn until Wednesday week, and I said that that was not necessary as our Standing Orders provide that meetings should be held on each Wednesday. I think it would be quite in order for the Seanad itself to propose that we should adjourn until to-morrow, or the next day, or to some specific date, if it thought fit, but as the Order stands, by a simple adjournment which is the ordinary method we are adopting now, we would meet next Wednesday, unless there is a definite instruction from the Seanad. Under our Orders it is open to the Cathaoirleach to state that, in his opinion, there being only a very small amount of business, we need not meet on Wednesday, and acting on the instructions in his letter I made the announcement that I have made.
It would be in order to move that we should adjourn until next Wednesday, if it is the opinion of the Seanad that we should do so, but it is not necessary. That is the reason why I made the announcement before the Adjournment was formally moved. In connection with the Motion for Adjournment I should like to take the opportunity of saying—I think it is a thing I might quite properly say from the Chair—that I hope that we shall in future in this Seanad ignore discussions in the Dáil which have any bearing on our standing, status or discussions. I would also like it to go out publicly that to the very best of my recollection, and I have only missed one or two meetings of the Seanad, on no occasion have we attempted nor has a Senator attempted to attack the Dáil or its members. Further, it is the opinion of An Cathaoirleach and myself that we would not allow such an attack on the Dáil or any member of it, as we would consider it out of order. Personally, I hold strongly to the view, that the House which makes the attack if it is meant seriously weakens its own dignity rather than the dignity of the House it attacks. Therefore, I hope personally that we shall ignore all such attacks that may be made on the Seanad. Very often, I think, such attacks are not intended seriously. Whether they are or not, we would be wise to ignore them. It is our duty to go on with our work the best way we can, and if we do so we shall win respect.
The Seanad adjourned at 4.50 p.m.