It is not intended to resume the debate on item No. 2, as Senator Crowley will not be available to-day. It is intended to take the other business as on the Order Paper.
Order of Business.
May we take it that it is the intention to finish the printed agenda to-day? Is it the hope that we will be able to do so, or is there any anticipation that we may have to meet to-morrow morning?
It is hoped that we will finish item No. 1 and that we will not have to meet to-morrow. We may finish the whole Order Paper, but if the Senator wants to know whether we will meet to-morrow morning for item No. 4, the answer is in the negative.
May I draw your attention, a Cathaoirleach, to Rule 18 of the Standing Orders:
"Unless it shall otherwise resolve, the Seanad shall meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 3 p.m., and on Fridays at 10.30 a.m."
There is nothing to prevent the Seanad from resolving to-night to adjourn to the 1st of February. The other House is adjourning to the 8th of February, and it is the intention that this House should meet on the 1st, which will enable the Minister for Justice to have his Bill for the other House when it meets.
On a point of order, it had originally been my intention to raise the matter of this motion on the Adjournment the last time, but, under good advice, I decided that it would be fairer to the House and to the Taoiseach not to do so on the very day the Taoiseach was speaking, but to put down a motion for a general discussion. I had in my mind that the fact of my putting down the motion would not lead to the putting off of the discussion on the matter for another six weeks or two months. It is my earnest hope, therefore, that the Seanad will be permitted to discuss this and, if necessary, to meet to-morrow morning to do so — though I hope that will not be necessary.
It would be better to proceed with the business on the Order Paper and see how far we will get at the end of the day.