I move the adjournment of the House because it is now ten minutes to nine o'clock, and there is practically nobody in the House.
Business of Seanad.
All the intelligence is here.
I resent the suggestion that there is nobody in the House. A number of Senators waited to hear Senator Kingsmill Moore speak.
Only ten minutes are available, and I could not conclude my speech in that time. However, I am in the hands of the House. I do not wish to persist in anything which would be contrary to the wishes of Senators. There is still a certain amount to be said. I think that a couple of Senators are anxious to express their views on the Bill.
If Senators were anxious to express their views, they should be here. Senators who have come from the west, north and south, should be convenienced.
I have merely moved the adjournment. I do not propose that the debate on the Bill should be resumed to-morrow.
I still maintain that we should go ahead with the business as it is set out on the Orders of the Day.
I suggest that the Cathaoirleach should ask Senators who wish to speak to rise in their places. Otherwise, I think we should go on with the debate.
The motion before us is for the adjournment of the House.
May I call the attention of the House to the fact that it is now almost five minutes to nine and that Senators who wish to take part in the debate would have very little time to give expression to their views? Of course, I am in the hands of the House.
Nobody present wants to associate himself with the Bill except the proposer. Those who did associate themselves with it have disappeared.
It seems to me as if we were fighting a delaying action. I suggest that Senator Kingsmill Moore should go ahead with his reply.
It is only fair to tell Senator Quirke that, even if I am not capable of doing anything else, I am capable of talking for five minutes and, therefore, could go on until nine o'clock. Accordingly, I suggest that Senator Quirke should bow his head on this particular occasion. I do not expect to see him do so on any other occasion. If Senators insist, I shall collect my wits and my notes and proceed.
Lest the Senator should get into a tailspin, I agree to the motion for the adjournment.
Further consideration of the Bill postponed until next sitting.
The Seanad adjourned at 8.55 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 22nd March, 1944.