Before we proceed to the Order of Business, I think some statement should be made to the House as to why we are assembling at 5 p.m. rather than 3 p.m.
Hour of Sitting.
Perhaps the Chair would be good enough to inform the House as to the reason for the departure from the ordinary hours of meeting?
The alteration in the hour of meeting has been brought about because of staff difficulties which I can assure the House are under very active consideration at the moment. In regard to the sitting next week, it is proposed to discuss the matter at a meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. We hope to have that meeting tomorrow and the information will be conveyed to the Senators in due course as to our proposals for future sittings.
Might I ask if it is so that the two hours off the sitting, which obviously will be costly to the State, are due to the fact that the State has been endeavouring to employ cut-price reporters as trainees at well under the rate and to have them, at the same time, trained by people who are supposed to do a double job?
I think the matter is better left now to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
We are assembling at public expense and two hours are lost in this debate. The Government should in some way have consulted both Houses of the Oireachtas before instituting a system over which I find it impossible to stand.
May I inquire if it is intended, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour at which we assemble, that we shall adjourn at the usual hour for tea? My understanding of the position is that quite a number of people including myself have some amendments down to Bills and we have not had and will not have an opportunity to deal with them. We cannot be in two places at the one time, dealing with amendments and having a meal. I would urge upon the House that, notwithstanding the difficulties which have arisen, we should adjourn for tea.
In view of the lateness of the meeting hour, I gather there will be no adjournment for tea this evening.
It is not proposed to adjourn for tea and it is proposed to sit later than usual.
I must protest against this. I understand that one of the difficulties with which the Reporting Staff are confronted is that they are expected to work from 10 o'clock in the morning until a late hour at night without a break for tea. I do not regard that as working under humane conditions and I do not think that members of this House ought to be asked to deliberate on an empty stomach.
We cannot have a discussion on that. If the Senator wishes to raise that matter, he will have to do it in another way.