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Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Nov 1924

Vol. 3 No. 22

ORDER OF BUSINESS.

Before we proceed with the next amendment, which is rather a lengthy and important one, I wonder would it be practicable to decide our procedure, whether we will go on without an adjournment to finish the Bill, or whether we are going to have an adjournment now, and afterwards to sit on to some later hour tonight. Some of us have engagements, and we would like to know.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

I am entirely in the hands of the Seanad. Their convenience will be mine.

I intended to ask, if Senator Farrell did not ask, that very question, because it is an amendment that will give rise to a good deal of discussion and take a long time.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

The position as regards business is as follows:—The remaining matters to be disposed of will take no time except with reference to the Dairy Produce Bill. The agenda is not quite accurate in putting it down for the Fifth Stage, because we kept the Report Stage open by arrangement for the Minister last night, as there were two or three matters that he agreed to consider, to try to meet some suggestions of some Senators. He has sent me an amendment he has prepared for the purpose. So that the Report Stage of that Bill remains yet to be finished. It will not take long. Consequently it seems to me that we have got to do either one of two things—to adjourn now soon and meet again to-morrow, or to go on with the business and see if we can finish the entire agenda, as we might possibly be able to do by 8 o'clock. I am entirely in the hands of the House. If we go on much longer there will be very little business left for to-morrow, whereas if you wish to conclude now you would have a couple of hours' business to-morrow.

I move that we adjourn now and meet again to-morrow at 3 o'clock.

I beg to second that.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

Before you put this I would like to know would it be any inconvenience to the Minister in charge of the Dairy Produce Bill if we might dispose of these few amendments. That might be a matter of agreement.

I quite agree. There were two amendments suggested—two points left over yesterday from the Dairy Produce Bill. I have brought forward amendments to meet these two points. They were the only two points that were contentious. I do not think it will take very long to dispose of these two points now. The Live Stock Bill will be in the Dáil to-morrow. It may be on for a few hours and it would be a great advantage if the Report Stage of this Bill were taken this week. The Final Stage could be taken next week and it could be sent to the Dáil, so that the Bill would be law before Christmas, whereas if the Report Stage is not taken now it will not be law for a considerable time. The only contingency is that I may be engaged in the Dáil on the Live Stock Bill to-morrow, and if this Bill is not finished now I may not be able to come up here for the 5 or 10 minutes it will take to finish the Dairy Bill.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

It is the desire of the House, I take it, that the further consideration of this Bill that we are on, that is, the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, be postponed until to-morrow. I take it that is the wish of the House.

Agreed.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

Before we pass from this, I do not know when Senators are considering meeting to-morrow, whether there would be any objection to their meeting at 11 o'clock, because I know there are Senators from the country who want to get away in the afternoon.

The principal objection to meeting in the morning is that there is a continuance of the Private Bill Committee on the Liffey Bill. Unless there is any objection to meeting at three o'clock, it is generally undesirable to meet earlier unless we make some permanent arrangement to meet early on Fridays.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

These committees will keep on sitting until 4 o'clock. I think we will have finished our business if we sit to-morrow, by 4 o'clock.

I am Chairman of the Joint Committee, and the great difficulty is to find people willing to serve on it. It is a perpetual difficulty. It is only when we give them an undertaking as regards the hours of meeting that we have been able to get them to act at all. I understand from Senator Brown, however, that they are adjourning early to-morrow.

Yes, to let some of the Dáil members away.

AN CATHAOIRLEACH

I am entirely in the hands of the House. Shall we say 2.30 to-morrow?

I agree to that hour.

Ordered—"That the Seanad meet at 2.30 o'clock."

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