May I suggest that we adjourn now and resume business at 7 p.m. with the Housing Bill?
Business of Seanad.
Some Senators may find it difficult to be here at 7 p.m.
The idea is to finish the Housing Bill by 10 p.m. tonight.
Some Senators wish to attend a meeting at 7 p.m. They may be back by 7.30 p.m. so perhaps the Leader of the House would accede to our request to adjourn until then.
If it is possible, the Chair would suggest that we adjourn at this time.
On the basis that we would adjourn, I told the Minister not to come until 7 p.m. He is not available now.
We are faced with the alternative of adjourning now until 7.30 p.m. or of continuing until 6 p.m. in the absence of the Minister.
May I ask the Leader of the House if it is intended that we sit tomorrow morning to complete the Housing Bill?
If the Housing Bill is completed tonight, it is not proposed that the House sit tomorrow.
It is unlikely that the Bill will be concluded tonight.
Could not the House meet in the morning to conclude the Housing Bill and to take all Stages of the Local Government (Temporary Reduction of Valuation) Bill?
Would it be possible to sit until 10.30 p.m. tonight to make up the half-hour?
I am anxious that all Business be dealt with before the end of next week so that it will not be necessary for the House to meet in August.
My suggestion was to facilitate the Leader of the House. If we disposed of the Local Government (Temporary Reduction of Valuation) Bill tomorrow, it would not be necessary to take up the time of the House in discussing it next week.
This is a fair point because whether we deal with the Housing Bill tonight or tomorrow, it will not go back to the Dáil until next week.
I am pessimistic about delaying anything in view of the length of time that some matters can take.
Business suspended at 5.40 p.m. and resumed at 7.30 p.m.