This is the usual Army Bill, and I do not propose to make any statement on it now.
Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Bill, 1939—Second and Subsequent Stages.
Question proposed: "That the Bill be read a Second Time."
The Minister says that this is the usual Army Bill, and therefore I am not going to say much about it, except merely that I should like to remind him how it was an annual event, when I was Minister for Defence, for somebody to get up and ask when a permanent Army Bill was coming along. I am not going to argue or to urge on the Minister that a permanent Bill should be brought along at the moment but I should like to know if he has changed his mind as to the urgent need of that within the last seven years or if any steps are actually being taken in regard to a new Army Bill.
An Army Bill is practically ready at the moment for introduction and I hope to have it introduced in this Session and passed, or, if not in this Session, at least in the next Session. I think it is desirable to do so, and it would certainly suit the convenience of the Department of Defence if the Bill that is in draft were passed through. It would be very much more convenient to operate than the present Bill, and it is my desire to have it introduced and passed as soon as possible.
The Minister says that he hopes to have the Bill introduced in this Session, and we will not try to tie him down beyond that. My reason for asking for this is that the original Bill was drafted in a great hurry and, if I remember rightly, many of the clauses in it, being based largely on the English Bill, are hardly relevant to this country. However, I am not going to press the Minister any further about this.
Question put and agreed to.
I move to suspend Standing Orders in order to facilitate the passing of this Bill.
That is not necessary, Senator.
If it would suit the convenience of the Seanad, I should like the Committee and Final Stages to be taken now.
Agreed that the Committee and Final Stages be taken now.
Bill passed through Committee and Final Stages and ordered to be returned to the Dáil.