Perhaps we could settle the question of a sitting to-morrow.
Business of Seanad.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
Would it be possible, by sitting till 9.30, to dispose of the items on the Order Paper?
It is rather a late hour to make that suggestion.
We would not finish at 9.30.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
There are three items, the Expiring Laws Bill, the motion for the Railway Tribunal, Senator Baxter's motion, and we have now received a Housing Bill from the Dáil.
I suggest that we take the first two items and leave Senator Baxter's motion over until we meet again.
I would not be agreeable to that, if it is possible to avoid it.
There is no great urgency about the motion and the arrangement would enable us to get home to-morrow.
I suggest we adjourn until next Wednesday.
I would remind the House that the Government are anxious to set up this tribunal to which Senator Quirke's motion has reference.
I understand that if the business is concluded the arrangement is that there is not to be another sitting this side of Christmas.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
That, I understand, is the arrangement come to at the Committee of Procedure and Privileges.
Then the most reasonable thing is to meet to-morrow and finish the business.
I formally move that we sit until the business on the Order Paper is finished to-night.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
It is too late to take what appears to be an opposed motion like that.
There are a number of Senators who had no idea that the House might sit at 10.30 to-morrow, and who will not be available.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
I gather that it is agreed that we sit to-morrow. The House must now come to an arrangement as to the hour.
But did we not agree to decide the matter at 8.30? Are we going back on that now?
Leas-Chathaoirleach
The position is—there is an agreement to sit to-morrow. We are finished with that, and the question is to decide what time we are going to meet to-morrow.
I frankly have no sympathy with the views of Senators resident in the city who for reasons of their own business do not want the House to sit. We in the country have business which is as of intimate concern to us as the business of any Senator in the House, and there ought to be consideration for those who have to come long distances. It is our business to get as much done as possible. There is no use in our being brought together at very considerable expense unless there is a certain amount of business to be done, and I think the sensible thing is that if we decide we have something to do to-morrow we should sit. I do not think it is a fitting argument—I do not say it was used by Senator Brennan on his own behalf, but on behalf of other Senators—to say that certain Senators may be absent, that they had made other arrangements. I think there ought to be no question about whether we meet to-morrow.
Leas-Chathaoirleach
There is agreement that we must sit to-morrow, and in the absence of agreement as to the hour I think we should sit at 10.30 a.m., the hour prescribed in the Standing Orders for Friday sittings.