The Leader of the House promised us a statement at 7.15 p.m. in regard to the probable procedure, as to whether we could finish tonight, whether we were meeting to-morrow and whether we would take motions.
Business of Seanad.
The Senator did not mention motions, so far as I can remember. It is proposed to finish the Second Stage of the Road Traffic Bill to-night. If necessary, we might even consider sitting after the normal time to do so. It is not intended to meet tomorrow in that event.
Rather than hear the Leader of the House saying he thought perhaps the Seanad might decide, the House should decide whether or not it is the intention to meet after 10 o'clock. We have done that too often and got rid of legislation in a hasty way and put motions permanently on the long finger by that means.
Could we have some statement as to when the motions will be taken? Many have been on the Order Paper for nine months? It is gross dereliction of duty by the Seanad to allow them to remain on the Order Paper for so long.
If Senators curbed the length of their speeches, we might have got to these motions long ago.
The House has sat not more than 20 times in the past six months. If that is not dereliction of duty, I do not know what is.
The Senator was not here half that time.
I have attended far more times than Senator Ó Maoláin.
This is not going to get us anywhere.
Perhaps the Leader of the House could give us an indication at 9 o'clock?
It is no contribution to the getting of business done here to say that if speeches were curbed, we would do more work. The truth is that there are not enough people here to speak. That is the truth about the Seanad. We should be grateful to anyone who speaks here. We could decide now—I do not see why we could not—to continue until 11 o'clock to finish the Second Stage. We have to take cognisance of the circumstances. I understand that the Minister will probably have his own Estimate in the Dáil tomorrow. As far as I am concerned, I am prepared to agree to sit until 11 o'clock to finish the Second Stage. I do not agree that finishing the Second Stage of the Bill will have any effect upon the taking of motions.
I personally would agree to going on a little later with the Second Stage of this Bill but I should like to see that, by so agreeing, we are not simply agreeing that we want these motions today, that we want them tomorrow or that we want them next week. I think it is unfair for the Leader of the House to put us in that position.
Perhaps the Leader of the House would indicate about 9 o'clock——
Perhaps he would examine his conscience quietly in relation to motions?
I have examined it.
Quietly, I said.
Very quietly.