The Committee adopted my suggestion that we did not require in this assembly to have these recommendations as to what I might call etiquette and procedure put into the form of Standing Orders, that if the Seanad were prepared to adopt them they would be equally prepared to follow them up. We thought it would probably lead to greater decorum and add to the dignity of the Seanad if these recommendations were accepted.
FORMS OF PROCEDURE.
The Committee, having considered the question of forms of procedure in the Seanad, have decided to recommend the adoption of the following Rules. The Committee do not suggest that these should be incorporated in the Standing Orders, but that they should be regarded as matters of etiquette for general observance by Senators:—
1. Upon the conclusion of the Prayer provided for in the Standing Order No. 6, Senators shall remain standing until the Cathaoirleach or presiding Senator has taken his seat.
2. Any Senator who enters the House after the sitting has opened shall bow to the Cathaoirleach or presiding Senator before taking his seat.
3. Senators shall avoid passing in front of the Cathaoirleach or presiding Senator, except in urgent cases, when they shall bow to the Chair in passing.
4. No Senator shall pass in front of any member who is actually addressing the House.
5. No Senator shall read any newspaper or other Journal in the House during its sitting, save for the purpose of the business then under consideration.
6. If Senators have occasion, when the House is sitting, to speak together, they shall retire below the Bar and not engage in conversation within the precincts of the House in any way calculated to disturb its ordinary procedure.
7. Senators shall not remain standing in any of the passages or doorways of the Chamber.
8. No Senator shall address or unreasonably interrupt any member who is speaking in the House. Should he wish to interrupt for the purpose of explanation or contradiction, he shall do so by addressing the Chair on a point of Order.
9. When the House adjourns Senators shall keep their seats until the Cathaoirleach has vacated the Chair.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
As to No. 4, in these recommendations sometimes a Senator has to pass in front of a speaker. It is usual in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords to bow your head a little so as not to interfere with the Speaker.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
I do not see what necessity there is for doing that. He can always get round. Why he should pass in front I do not know.
The Earl of MAYO
Sometimes you have to go across the floor.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
That is a different rule about crossing the floor of the House in front of the Chair. That is dealt with by another rule.
In Committee sometimes you have to get advice from people who may be sitting in the gallery. You may have to get a change in your amendment. It happens very often in the House of Lords.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
I never saw anyone do it by passing in front of the speaker addressing the House. He could always go through the back benches.
As a rule, we have to bow. If the House is crowded it is very hard to get by in time. You are settling this for all time.
I think it is the invariable practice that no one would pass between a speaker and the Chairman.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
If it was attempted there would at once be a shout of "Order, order."
In the Seanad there is no trouble about getting round backwards.
During the Land Bill I had to hurry up on one or two occasions.
I must say generally that these proposals of the Committee are excellent. They are matters of courtesy, and are things, I think, that can be observed in spirit.
Forms of procedure agreed to.
I move that the report as amended be adopted.
I second.
Question put and agreed to.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
Before the Report is printed, I should state that these Orders have been in the hands of the Assistant Clerk for a very considerable time. He has taken a tremendous amount of trouble with them, and he wants permission, when getting them printed, to put them in sequence. You will find in one part an order dealing with Committee, and then you hop on to something else. The Assistant Clerk has got them prepared so that they follow in compartments and in proper sequence. I take it that there will be no objection to what he suggests.
Will they be put into book form?
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
Yes.
May I say that the Assistant Clerk is to be congratulated on the way he has carried out the work. It is extremely difficult work, and, so far, I think, it has been admirably arranged. In the near future I would like to have the Orders in booklet form.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
And a good index, so that there will be no excuse for anyone.
That is very important, as on it our future depends.