I regret I was unavoidably detained at the start of business today. I had intended to announce, and I do so now, that it is proposed to take Motion No. 21 on the Order Paper tomorrow morning.
Business of the Seanad.
I have no objection to that, but it would be in order for me to intervene at this point also to say that there should be some adequate notice given to the proposers of motions as to when it is intended to take them. It seems to me that a minimum of one week's notice should be given. I know that Senator Ó Maoláin has difficulty in not always being in a position to say when the Minister will be available, but the aim should be to give at least a week's notice, because it is not very easy to be prepared to deal with some of these motions at the drop of a hat.
I have always given as much notice as possible in connection with motions. In connection with this particular motion, Senators will recall that on the last meeting of the Seanad it was brought home very forcibly that this was an important and urgent motion. I had intended taking it on that day, and I announced that were it not for the upsets at the time we would have taken it. I undertook that it would be taken the next time we met. In this case I think there was adequate notice given that this motion was to be taken.
In fact, we were told less than five minutes ago that it will be taken tomorrow.