May I suggest that, in these circumstances, the House should adjourn and take this Bill on another occasion? The Bill is peculiarly a product of the Taoiseach's own mind, and it has been put through all its stages in the Dáil by the Taoiseach personally. I do not think the House can have any grievance in the circumstances of the Taoiseach's absence to-day, but, at the same time, as there is no urgency about the measure, I think it would be the wish of the House generally that we should not enter on discussion of this measure until the Taoiseach is here. I would therefore suggest that the Seanad should now adjourn. For my own part, as a resident of Dublin, the next day of meeting is not a matter in which I would intervene, because any day that is fixed will be convenient for me; but, in so far as I have consulted Senators who had to travel from the country, I have been informed that they would prefer next Wednesday at 3 o'clock. On that particular date, should the Taoiseach be not available, the County Management Bill in Committee is likely to occupy the House for some time. I think we would certainly have sufficient business for this day week, apart altogether from this Bill. I therefore formally move that the Seanad should adjourn until next Wednesday.
Adjournment of the Seanad.
There has been a suggestion that we should adjourn until to-morrow.
I should like to support the suggestion of Senator Hayes. We can all understand why the Taoiseach is absent to-day, and we sympathise with his position, but it is peculiarly befitting that he should introduce the Bill in this House. He is particularly interested in this Bill. Speaking for myself, and I think also for some others, we would feel it almost essential that he should introduce it.
We, on this side of the House, have no objection to the proposition of Senator Hayes. Discussion of a Bill of this nature in the absence of the Taoiseach would be something like playing Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark. I think there would be ample time for its discussion if it were adjourned until this day week. It is an important measure, but at the same time it is a measure about which there is no great urgency. I think we are all agreed that it would be better to wait until the Taoiseach himself can be present.
Might I suggest that the House adjourn until this day week? It is an advantage, in the case of a Bill of which the Taoiseach is in charge, to take it on a day on which there is other business. It has always been a rule in this House to recognise that his position makes it difficult for him to attend at a definite time and if there were other business on the Order Paper, we could proceed with it and leave over the business in which the Taoiseach is interested until such time as it is convenient for him to attend.
We are all aware of the reasons why the Taoiseach cannot be here to-day and I would therefore be in favour of the motion moved by Senator Hayes. As Senators are aware, a national event is being held in the city at the present time. I do not say that our duty should be secondary to that but I presume there is a large number of Senators who would be only too anxious to visit Ballsbridge and visit the national show. In the circumstances, I think the suggestion of Senator Hayes is one that should be adopted.