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Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Mar 1976

Vol. 83 No. 12

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take No. 2 and if the Seanad is agreeable I ask that we might provisionally order No. 3. The position regarding No. 3 is that the Minister would not be available to attend after a certain hour. Therefore if the Family Law Bill did not conclude, it is probable that we would not be able to go ahead with No. 3. It would be a pity to find that we had the time and that the Minister was available but that we could not take it. For the convenience of Senators, it is proposed tentatively to take No. 12 on the 25th of the month.

At the express request of the Minister for Justice I agreed not to press for time for the motion in my name and that of Senator Eoin Ryan, that is No. 1 on the Order Paper, and reads as follows:

That Seanad Éireann hereby disapproves of the Rules for the Government of Prisons, 1976 (S.I. No. 30 of 1976).

However, it is necessary that this motion be taken within a certain time in order for it to be operative. There is only a certain period in which to pass a motion annulling the particular amendment to the prison rules. I would like if the Leader of the House would give an undertaking that time would be found within that period for the motion to be discussed.

The position regarding No. 1 is that it may be possible to take it next week, but if not, it will almost certainly be taken the following week. The Senator may rest assured that the time will not run out on it.

Can the Leader of the House tell us when the Capital Acquisitions Tax Bill will be taken?

I will try to get more definite information about that. It looks at the moment that it might be the 23rd of March.

What is to happen within the next week or fortnight that will make it permissible or possible to take the prisons motion that makes it impossible to take it this afternoon?

I do not know. I cannot see Senator Dr. Browne's point. I am not sure to what extent he can see into the future but I have no such gift.

Surely it is possible for the Leader of the House to tell us why it is not possible to take the Motion this afternoon and why it will be possible to take it in a week or two weeks' time. We know that he has had a conversation with the Minister for Justice. Surely he has been given some excuse. The Minister has hardly decided simply to drop the matter. Why cannot the Senator tell us the reason?

An Leas-Chathaoirleach

I understand the Order of Business has been put to the House and agreed.

Am I getting no answer?

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