It is proposed to take No. 1 on the Order Paper.
Order of Business.
On the Order Paper there are two motions, one of which has stood there for a long time. The Leader of the House has suggested that we deal merely with No. 1. We have three items on the Paper. I would ask the House to decide otherwise, and to take item No. 2 and, if feasible, in the time at our disposal, to take Item No. 3, my motion on recent changes in Department of Education Rules. We have two motions, and we have only one Bill to deal with. This is an ideal situation to deal with at least one motion. Senator Ó Conalláin has been very patient about the motion standing in his name. He asked about it last week and I would ask you to consult the House as to whether they are satisfied with the Order Paper of the day, which includes three items, and we yet are asked to be content to deal with the first item only. I suggest that this is a method of long-fingering motions which are found awkward by the Government.
If the Senator had been paying attention last week, he would have heard my reply to Senator Ó Conalláin on No. 2.
On a point of order, the point I made just now was not answered. I should like to draw the attention of the House to Standing Order 19 which reads:
Every sitting of the Seanad shall be governed by a printed Order Paper which shall be prepared under the direction of the Cathaoirleach. The business shall be dealt with in order as printed unless the Seanad shall otherwise order.
I submit, with respect, that the Seanad has not ordered otherwise. The Leader of the House has suggested that we omit two of the printed items but the Seanad has not decided. The Seanad should be asked to decide.
When the Leader of the House announces the Order of Business, the Chair asks the House whether it agrees. I have asked the House if it agrees with the recommendation of the Leader of the House.
When you asked that, I got up and I was the only person who made a reply to you. It was in the negative.
The Seanad last time definitely fixed when item No. 2 would be taken and it was not today.
Why is it on the Order Paper?
The Senator is as ignorant as others.
That is a nice remark.
It is proposed to take No. 1.
I would like to have it put on the record that we take Item No. 1 and Item No. 3 as well.
Question put: "That the Order of Business be No. 1 on the Order Paper."
The Seanad divided: Tá, 29; Níl 12.
Tá
- Ahern, Liam.
- Boland, Gerald.
- Brennan, John J.
- Browne, Seán.
- Cole, John C.
- Connolly O'Brien, Nora.
- Dooge, James C. I.
- Egan, Kieran P.
- Farrell, Joseph.
- FitzGerald, Garret M. D.
- Flanagan, Thomas P.
- Honan, Dermot P.
- Killilea, Mark.
- Lenehan, Joseph R.
- McGowan, Patrick.
- Martin, James J.
- Ó Conalláin, Dónall.
- Ó Donnabháin, Seán.
- Ó Maoláin, Tomás.
- O'Quigley, John B.
- O'Reilly, Patrick (Longford).
- O'Sullivan, Denis J.
- O'Sullivan, Ted.
- Ryan, Eoin.
- Ryan, James.
- Ryan, Patrick W.
- Ryan, William.
- Sheldon, William A.W.
- Teehan, Patrick J.
Níl
- Conlan, John F.
- Davidson, Mary F.
- Fitzgerald, John.
- McDonald, Charles.
- McHugh, Vincent.
- Malone, Patrick.
- McQuillan, Jack.
- Mannion, John.
- Murphy, Dominick F.
- Prendergast, Micheál A.
- Sheehy Skeffington, Owen L.
- Stanford, William B.
Tellers:— Tá: Senators Browne and Farrell; Níl: Senators Sheehy Skeffington and McQuillan.
Question declared carried.