The House will recollect that under the provisions of an Act which, with the help of this House, was passed into law last week, that is, the Public Safety (Emergency Powers) Act, 1926, it was provided that if a Proclamation of Emergency under that Act was made at any time when the Oireachtas, or either House of the Oireachtas, stood adjourned, the Proclamation itself would summon both Houses at a date of not more than five days from the date of the Proclamation. The Proclamation was duly issued on Saturday last, and as a consequence the Oireachtas was summoned to meet to-day. As you will see from the Order Paper, no notice of motion has been handed in for the purpose of setting aside this Proclamation, and as that is the only business that could be transacted to-day as a result of this summons, and in the absence of any motion of that kind, we have no business to discharge. At the same time I want the House, if they will pardon me for saying so, not to think they have wasted this day. They are here for the purpose of exercising, if they think fit, a very grave responsibility, and at the same time to put into force an invaluable safeguard for public liberty and public safety, and, it so happens, under the conditions and circumstances we do not require to occupy much time. I ask the House not to consider that their time is being wasted, but to recollect that the time may come when, in the hands of a strong and autocratic Government, with perhaps a majority of the other House, this House in its courage and patriotism might think it its duty to set aside any such Proclamation. I want them to recollect that, and to realise that they have in that safeguard a grave and serious responsibility placed upon them. There being no further business, I shall now declare the Seanad to stand adjourned.
As far as I can make out, I anticipate there is no measure likely to reach this House calling for discussion, consideration and dispatch before the Christmas Recess, except the Expiring Laws Bill. That, of course, must be passed before the Recess. I do not think it is at all likely to reach us before 15th December, but it must reach us some time about that date or a little later. I think, therefore, the best thing for us to do to-day is to agree that the House do now stand adjourned, leaving it to me to convene a meeting at some convenient date on the approach of Christmas to deal with any business that may have to be dispatched.
