There does not seem to be any burning desire to deal with this report. I wish to say that in my opinion it would be desirable that the consideration of this report be postponed until the House re-assembles. That is the view of most of, if not all, the members of the Joint Committee, and I think, if my information is correct, the Dáil have arranged to adjourn discussion on the report to a day to be fixed by the Chairman of the Dáil in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Committee.
SEANAD IN COMMITTEE. - MATRIMONIAL MATTERS—REPORT OF JOINT COMMITTEE.
|
Tuarasgabháil ó Chó-Choiste na mBuan-Orduithe (Gnó Príobháideach) ar an gcuma ina bhfuil an scéal i Saorstá Eireann maidir le Billí a bhaineann le Cúrsaí Pósa. |
Report of the Joint Committee on Standing Orders (Private Business) on the position in Saorstát Eireann of Bills relating to Matrimonial Matters (Mr. Douglas). |
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
Do you move that?
If that meets with general approval, I would be prepared to move it.
I have much pleasure in seconding.
There may be some misunderstanding about this matter, and I should say that the reason for the postponement is certainly not, on my part, or on the part of the members of the Committee, any desire to postpone a decision on the matter indefinitely. It is due to the fact, as the report points out, that it is not simply a question of saying "yes" or "no." It is a matter for reasoned discussion, and it cannot be dealt with hastily.
May I say that I think it is quite right that we should look at this matter carefully. It is because Senator Douglas speaks as he has spoken that I think the Seanad should postpone the matter. If you look at the report you will see that undoubtedly the report does ask the Oireachtas to deal with the matter, and unless it was the Chairman of the Committee who had recommended that the Seanad should not deal with it now, I do not think we should put it on one side as hastily as we seem to do. But when the Chairman of the Committee tells us that it requires consideration, we all see, of course, that at this late date in the Session we cannot give it the consideration that it requires, and that, therefore, it may be wise to postpone it. I do not think, however, that we should lose sight of the fact that the Oireachtas has got to make up its mind upon this subject, and that that has been stated clearly in the report; and, if we are to postpone it, it should not be for an indefinite period and we should have an assurance that the matter is going to be brought before the Oireachtas when it does meet again, and that the Oireachtas should then be in a position to give its opinion.
The present state of affairs is most undoubtedly, extremely unsatisfactory, and it is a situation which the Oireachtas should make up its mind to deal with and decide on one way or the other. It would be quite wrong for either the Seanad or the Dáil to decline to do so and to leave the matter in its present most unsatisfactory position. Of course if it is clearly understood that we are acting as we are only because of the late period of the Session and that we have not now time to go into the matter, and that we are not expressing in any way the opinion that the Seanad should not deal with it and should not have it brought up properly as soon as possible when time can be given to its consideration, then I think Senator Douglas' idea that we should postpone it is perfectly correct, but only on that understanding.
I am very glad of what Senator Jameson has said. I should have mentioned one point and it is this: that provided the matter is dealt with promptly when we reassemble there will be no actual delay because no committee could meet in the meantime; and it is with the knowledge that although there has been a good deal of regrettable delay in the consideration of the matter a postponement now will not involve any additional delay that I propose that the consideration of the Report should be adjourned.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
Perhaps I may be allowed to emphasise the fact that this matter cannot be indefinitely postponed. In view of our Standing Orders it is essential that at some early date, at any rate, a decision one way or the other should be arrived at by the Oireachtas in reference to these Bills, because they are standing on record at present and it would be the duty of the Committee as well as of members of this House to see that opportunities are given for their discussion. Therefore this motion is for a mere temporary postponement, because it is perfectly plain that when we reassemble a decision one way or the other will have to be given by both Houses as to what is to be the future of these Bills.
The Dáil have adopted the course of postponing the consideration of the Report to a date to be fixed by the Speaker of the Dáil in conference with the Chairman of the Committee. We can also fix our date.
Question—"That the consideration of the Report be postponed to a date to be fixed by the Chairman of the Seanad in conference with the Chairman of the Joint Committee"—put and agreed to.