It is proposed to take two items on the Order Paper, Nos. 2 and 1.
Order of Business.
I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business to include Motion No. 22 in the Order of Business for today. This is the Report of the Commission on the Status of Women and the motion asks that the Government introduce legislation forthwith to implement the recommendations contained therein. During the last two sessions of the Seanad Senator Owens tried to raise this. I would submit that this is not a matter of taking the motion when the Seanad has time; this is genuinely a matter of urgency. The report was submitted to the Minister for Finance in August, 1971. That is some months ago now. It was commissioned urgently at his request in June, 1970. From the summary of the recommendations of this report I will quote briefly from page 92:
The Employer-Labour Conference should, when it meets in January, 1972, to review the terms and operation of the National Agreement, make provision for the introduction of equal pay as proposed in this report. If such provision is made by the Conference, the legislation proposed in paragraph 84 should take account of any phasing arrangements agreed. If such provision is not made by the Conference the legislation should provide for the introduction of equal pay on a phased basis as outlined in paragraph 94.
Therefore, the Employer-Labour Conference of January is vital to the implementation of this report and there must be a Government commitment for this so that it can be on the agenda for the Employer-Labour Conference and so that it can be written into the National Agreement.
Again very briefly, on page 54 of the report, reference is made to the implementation of equal pay which has a terminal date of December, 1977. The dates chosen are——
The Senator is perhaps going into too great detail on this point.
If I might make this one single point. The two dates mentioned are July, 1972, or January, 1973, for the implementation or the phasing, because that is when the National Agreement drawn up by the Employer-Labour Conference would expire. Therefore, this motion cannot be delayed indefinitely. It is extremely important that there is a Government commitment, and this would be a suitable place for the motion to be discussed and for a commitment from the Government, who have had this report since August. I would urge the leader of the House that this ought not be allowed to lie on the Order Paper but should be given priority over some other motion.
I should like to second the proposed amendment to the Order of Business. I will not attempt to add anything further to that which Senator Robinson has said except to suggest that recommendations suggested in the report and their implementation can be supported by most republican principles and I would urge them on the House in this vein.
On the Order of Business this day week I asked the Leader of the House when he proposed to take item No. 12 on the Order Paper. It has been on the Order Paper since 12th July, 1970. It is very topical at the moment because it deals with the position of nurses. Would the Leader of the House be so kind as to give me an answer? I asked the same question last Wednesday but he did not enlighten me on that occasion. Could he give me any idea when he proposes to take this motion, which is on the Order Paper for over a year and a half?
It is absolutely no use for Senator Robinson to adopt these tactics. There is no possibility of that motion being taken today, tomorrow or next week. There is an order of procedure in regard to motions which has been agreed on by the House and that is the order which I am following and propose to continue to follow.
I am sorry I did not hear Senator Belton's question last week. I have looked it up in the Seanad Official Report since and I hope to take this motion next week.
Thank you very much.
On a point of order, is it not the Seanad which fixes its own Order of Business? Is this not what we do at the beginning of each session, and surely the provision in relation to motions is that we have the minimum of at least one motion a month? If a matter of urgency in relation to January, 1972, and the Employer-Labour Conference comes up can the Seanad not at least extend the sitting days to more than one and a half or two sitting days a week?
Senator Robinson has moved an amendment that Motion No. 22 be added to the Order of Business.
Amendment put and declared lost.
Order of Business agreed.