It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1 and 2. The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs will be engaged at Question Time in the Dáil but someone will sit in for him for the start.
Order of Business.
A matter I should like to raise on the Order of Business is the question of the notice of motion which has just come to hand from Members of the two Government parties, Motion No. 36 "That Seanad Éireann notes the state of the world economy...." Motion No. 26, which is that we note "with concern the deteriorating state of the national economy" is Motion No. 36 in reverse. In view of the fact that it has been seen fit to put down a motion of this kind, which is in effect a negative of Motion No. 26, I take it that indicates an urgency on the part of the Leader of the House and the Government to debate the important matter of the national economy that we see declining to a very serious state at present. May I take it that putting down this motion indicates a desire on the part of the Leader of the House to have the Minister for Finance here to have a full discussion of this important matter?
While I regard that certainly as a very serious matter, I cannot refrain from pointing out that the pound reached its lowest ever level yesterday and that we already have been trying to arrange for the Minister for Finance to come to the House to debate the motion concerning the establishment of a Select Committee to examine the link with sterling. I would put this as a more urgent single matter and, as everybody knows, the Minister gave as strong an assurance as he could that he would come here before the recess. I hope that the motion dealing with the link with sterling will be taken before a general motion dealing with the state of the economy.
Senator West was good enough to indicate in his remarks that he understood the Minister's position which the Minister explained last week. Senator Lenihan asked me if he could take it that the tabling of Motion No. 36 indicated a degree of urgency to have the subject matter of Motion No. 26 discussed. I think possibly the best way of putting the matter to Senator Lenihan, and I am sure that he appreciates it, is that the intention of putting down Motion No. 26 is to ensure that any discussion on the question of the economy will take place in its proper perspective.
The perspective is getting a little urgent. As long as that is indicated.
We agree there is a problem and we are not sure who is responsible.
Order of Business agreed to.