Senators will probably have noticed that in the list of amendments to the Judiciary Bill there is a number of amendments put down by the Government. You will recollect that in regard to Government Bills we have already provided by Standing Orders that the various stages of these Bills which are Government Bills should be put direct from the Chair, so that they do not require either a proposer or a seconder. We have made no provision as yet in our Standing Orders to deal with the moving of Government amendments, but your Committee on Standing Orders will meet to-morrow morning and that will be one of the matters they will have to deal with. They will have to frame an order for submission to you for your adoption or rejection. In the meantime I suggest, if I have the consent of the Seanad, that I should be at liberty to put from the Chair all Government amendments, just as I put the various stages of Government Bills, and if the Minister is in attendance, it will be open to him to explain the object and purpose of the amendments. If there is no objection on the part of Senators, that is the procedure which I propose to adopt to-day in regard to Government amendments.
PUTTING OF GOVERNMENT AMENDMENTS.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
I think your proposal, Sir, is eminently a proper one. It is not for me to dictate or suggest to the Committee on Standing Orders that I think the system might be continued in the future, so that Government amendments would be put from the Chair.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
Under ordinary conditions, under our present Standing Orders, any amendment, whether a Government amendment or not, moved on the Report Stage, requires to be proposed as well as seconded. Therefore, before I ask the Seanad to allow me to put these Government amendments from the Chair it will be necessary to move the suspension of Standing Orders limited to that purpose only.
I beg to move "that Standing Orders be suspended so far as, and for the purpose only of, permitting Government amendments to be moved from the Chair, and disposing of the necessity of a proposer and seconder."
I second the motion.