Senator Hayes asked earlier in the proceedings for an indication of the business we might expect to get before the Christmas Recess. For the information of the Senator, the business will be as follows: the Rent Restrictions (No. 2) Bill, which will be coming back from the Dáil; the Army Pensions (No. 2) Bill, the Transport Bill, the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill, the Derelict Sites Bill, the Electoral Bill, the Property Values (Arbitration and Appeals) Bill, the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Bill and we will, of course, take Senator O'Quigley's Bill with the Government Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill. Arising out of that business, it will be necessary for us to sit at least on Wednesday and Thursday of next week.
Business of Seanad.
We should like to give full co-operation but I do not think it would be possible to deal with all those Bills thoroughly before the Christmas Recess. I agree with Senator Ó Maoláin that we should meet on Wednesday, and at 11 a.m. on Thursday. We should then rise for the Recess. Not all these Bills are necessary and we could not promise to give them before Christmas. That is fairly heavy legislation.
In the event that we cannot finish business next week, we shall be compelled to sit the following week.
We want to get the work done.
It is a pity you did not start working earlier.
"Let's get cracking".
We are interested in getting the work done but eight Bills were, I think, mentioned by Senator Ó Maoláin and I believe it may not be possible to deal with them all before Christmas. We cannot give that undertaking.
We can try.
Would it not be advisable if more legislation were initiated in the Seanad rather than having it all coming together from the one direction?
If Senator Burke looks at the Bills I have mentioned, he will find that they are not so overwhelming as they may appear to be. I do not see any reason in the world why we cannot finish the business before the Christmas Recess.
I am all against slot-machine legislation.
So far as we can, we will co-operate.
The Seanad adjourned at 5.30 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 14th December, 1960.