Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Feb 1971

Vol. 69 No. 10

Business of the Seanad.

Mr. Horgan

May I request leave to move the adjournment of the Seanad for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance under Standing Order No. 26?

Firstly, there is the decision by the secondary teachers' association to take strike action from next Tuesday. May I just say very briefly, in support of this, that this decision has been taken as a fact by the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland? That is the first major point. The second point is that it is only the Minister who can avert a strike by making an offer to the secondary teachers which is acceptable to them. In the third place, it is the last possible opportunity we will have in the Seanad to discuss such a matter. I request favourable consideration of this.

An Cathaoirleach

I thank the Senator for having given me prior notice, as is the custom of the House, of his intention to request to move the adjournment of the Seanad on a definite matter of urgent public importance. I have carefully considered the matter but must rule, in accordance with precedent, that the motion is not one contemplated by the Standing Order. This ruling is, of course, without prejudice to the right of the Senator, or, indeed, of any Senator, to give notice of motion in the usual way in respect of this matter.

Mr. Horgan

Can you let me know under which precedent this is ruled to be not of definite public importance since the actual decision has been taken to go on strike?

An Cathaoirleach

The Chair appreciates the obvious public importance of this whole matter, but on the information at present available, it feels that the situation is not sufficiently definite to bring it within the ambit of the Standing Order.

Mr. Alexis FitzGerald

Would the Cathaoirleach like to inform the House of the precedents on which his decision is based?

An Cathaoirleach

The Chair's decision is based on the Standing Order which provides that matters of this kind, to be raised under this particular Standing Order, must be definite matters of public importance. The Chair, as it has already stated, feels that this particular matter is not, at the moment, sufficiently definite to bring it within the ambit of the Standing Order.

Mr. Alexis FitzGerald

I understood the Chair to give as the basis for his decision a precedent. Which precedent is there for the Cathaoirleach's decision? Would the Cathaoirleach like to inform the House of that precedent?

An Cathaoirleach

There is a line of precedents, going back 40 years, of decisions on the basis of this Standing Order. In each case the Chair has decided, where it considered that the matter was not urgent or not of sufficient public importance or not definite, that it must rule out the proposal in question.

Mr. Horgan

Can the Cathaoirleach tell us when a motion under this Standing Order was last accepted for debate?

An Cathaoirleach

It is a very long time.

Mr. McDonald

The Chair must agree that this is of tremendous importance to many thousands of children, especially those who propose to do their leaving certificate this year. I cannot contemplate a more serious situation for these children and Senators might well have helpful views.

An Cathaoirleach

The Chair, as already stated, appreciates the very great importance of this matter. However, the Chair is bound by Standing Orders in this as in all other matters. As the Chair understands the matter, a further offer has been made by the Department which may or may not be the subject of a ballot, which may or may not mean the acceptance of this particular offer. At the moment we do not know. The matter proposed to be raised is, therefore, uncertain and hypothetical. It does not comply with the first requirement I have mentioned, that is, that the matter should be definite in a manner contemplated by the Standing Order. The Senator will appreciate that the mere fact that a matter is of great public importance —as this clearly is—does not necessarily bring it within the ambit of this very narrowly defined Standing Order.

Mr. McDonald

There is no point waiting until they are on strike.

An Cathaoirleach

The Chair is bound by Standing Orders.