I was going to suggest that we adjourn for tea and take motion No. 7 afterwards.
Business of Seanad.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
That is a matter for the House. It is usual to adjourn for tea and it is, I am told, considered desirable for the convenience of the Restaurant staff.
I think we had better continue.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
It is a matter for the House.
We have been sitting only a short time and I do not know why we should not go on.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
There is an arrangement that No. 8, Senator Douglas's motion, be taken at 7 o'clock. I suppose, if we adjourn, we would take that motion at 7 o'clock.
I think we made an arrangement that our motion was to come on and that we would adjourn in order to allow Senator Douglas's motion to be moved. It is only on these conditions that the movers of this motion assented that Senator Douglas's motion should be taken.
If I may say so, it was originally intended that Senator Douglas's motion should be taken, but it was not anticipated that we would have reached the other motion. I understand that an agreement could not be got to have Senator The McGillycuddy's motion postponed. The difficulty is that it would be ridiculous to ask the Minister for Agriculture, if he was in the House, to move out of the House while another motion was taken just because of an arrangement made between particular members. I think the sensible arrangement would be to adjourn now until 7 o'clock and then take Senator Douglas's motion, dispose of it and go on to Senator McGillycuddy's motion.
I strongly protest against that, because the definite arrangement was made that my motion would be taken the moment the Bills were finished. Several other members want to speak on it. When the agreement was made, there was no talk of adjournment. I see absolutely no reason why we cannot go on with it now. Senator Quirke's proposal is a complete reversal of what was arranged.
I am afraid that I cannot quite understand the Senator. What I suggest is that Senator Douglas's motion should be taken and then Senator The McGillycuddy's motion.
Then it would not come on to-night at all.
I cannot see Senator Douglas's motion taking more than 15 minutes.
The Senator has already told me that it would take 40 minutes.
I think Senator The McGillycuddy is in order in moving his motion and I am sure it is possible to have a House. We will be disposing of so much of the business.
And Senator Douglas's motion is to be taken at 7 o'clock?
My motion has been in the hands of the Clerk for months and has been postponed in order not to interfere with the national sowing effort, but we do maintain that it should be taken before other motions which have not been down so long, and it is a matter of great urgency.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
The suggestion is that we do not adjourn and that we take No. 8 at 7 o'clock.
Do I understand that it was intimated to the Minister for Agriculture that there would be an adjournment and he was willing to attend, but that he will not be here until after 7 o'clock?
I was speaking to the Minister for Agriculture, and I told him that I thought there would be an adjournment, and he said he would go to have tea and that he would be available.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
Then we will take the motion.