I beg to move:
"That, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Standing Order 85, the Report Stage of the Fisheries (Revision of Loans) Bill, 1931 be taken to-day."
Fisheries (Revision of Loans) Bill, 1931—Committee (Certified Money Bill).
Bill passed through Committee without amendment and reported to the House.
I second the motion.
As a matter of procedure and precedent, I protest against this motion. The Standing Order is clear, that the Report Stage of a Bill shall be taken on a day subsequent to that on which the Committee Stage is taken. I think this is a dangerous practice to begin, if this is the beginning—that we should suspend a Standing Order which was inserted for the deliberate and definite purpose of safeguarding the interests of members in considering Bills of this nature. If it is to be possible to suspend a Standing Order, without considerable notice, in what may be a small House, it will be a dangerous procedure. There is, I think, no urgency about this Bill. Even if there was urgency, I think it would be unwise to adopt this procedure. This Bill can be dealt with to-morrow, if we meet to-morrow. In any event, it can be dealt with on the first day of our meeting next week. Unless the Senator has some urgent reasons to adduce, I would ask him not to press this motion.
I beg to support Senator Johnson in his protest and for the reasons stated by him. We have had, on frequent occasions, imposed upon us in the Seanad, resolutions of the character now proposed by Senator O'Hanlon. We have protested against these resolutions again and again. Notwithstanding our protests, these resolutions come forward. In addition to the reasons stated by Senator Johnson, I would urge on the Seanad this further reason—that there is no urgent necessity for this Bill. It is a Bill simply to forgive a certain number of loans which are irrecoverable and to preserve the rights as against the sureties. It can be passed as well this day month as to-day. As a general principle, I am against rushing Bills through the Seanad, because sometimes in the interval between one stage and another a Senator discovers a mistake in a Bill and it is remedied. I suppose our chief function is that of a revising Chamber. We should be given the opportunity to exercise that function. If Bills are rushed through without any reason whatever, we are treated with a certain amount of disrespect, and we are prevented from exercising the function which we are here to discharge.
[The Leas-Chathaoirleach took the Chair.]
I have perhaps a longer experience of the proceedings of the House than either of the two Senators who have just spoken. I would like to support them in this matter because from the very commencement of business in the Seanad we found the evils arising which both Senator Johnson and Senator Comyn have mentioned. We protested repeatedly, and finally that Standing Order was drafted with the very object of preventing Bills being rushed through in this way.
If the House feels strongly on the matter, I have no desire to press the motion. It was represented to me that it was regarded as a non-contentious measure, and I was merely asked to move this motion. If there is a feeling that by agreeing to it we would be establishing an undesirable precedent, I do not wish to press it.
Motion, by leave, withdrawn.