It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 3 and 2 in that order. It is also proposed, if the Prisons Bill comes to us from the Dáil—and I gather it should be here within the next half hour or so—to add it to the Order of Business and also an Early Signature Motion.
Order of Business.
As far as Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are concerned we have no objection, but the Prisons Bill is another matter. The suggestion that a Bill which has not even yet been passed by the Dáil, and which certainly is not on this Order Paper, should be dealt with in this rapid way by the Seanad is typical of the way in which in the last four-and-a-half years the Government have managed or mismanaged their parliamentary business. It seems to be beyond the wit or the capabilities of the Ministers concerned in this Government to bring in business of this kind in time. The point about the Prisons Bill is, apparently, that the existing one expires on May 31st next, that is next Tuesday. Everybody knew that this was so and certainly one would expect that the Departments and the Ministers concerned would know. Yet, it has happened time and time again during the past four-and-a-half years that Ministers come bounding into the Seanad saying "This Bill has been passed half-an-hour ago in the Dáil and it must be in force by next Tuesday. Put it through now at once". It is a ludicrous way of doing business. Why such a short simple Bill as this could not have been brought in one month, two months, or three months ago is beyond the wit of man to work out. I would not be allowed by the Chair to go into the merits of the Bill as such but, simply looking on it as now urgent legislation, one cannot understand why the Government manage or mismanage business in this way.
We have yet another suggestion that there is to be an Early Signature Motion. There have been more Early Signature Motions signed in this present Seanad than ever before in the history of any Seanad for the past 50 years. A classic case of mismanagement. Early Signature Motions are sometimes necessary. Sometimes an emergency arises and a Bill has to be put through very rapidly. There have been about eight, if not more, in the past four years. It is far beyond anything that has been done before and it is being done as a matter of course. In fact it is not just incompetence; it is also arrogance. Ministers simply have got it into their heads that Parliament is not important, that the Dáil and the Seanad do not matter. A Minister decides to bring forward a Bill; it is rubber-stamped; it is rail-roaded through with their majority and, if an Early Signature Motion is necessary it is introduced.
This has been happening time and time again. It would certainly appear from all the records of the past four-and-a-half years that this Government have absolutely no respect for the democratic process, no respect for the rights of Parliament, no respect for the ordinary democratic means of debating Bills in each House of the Oireachtas. We are going out after four-and-a-half years of Coalition Government in typical style. On the last day these Houses will sit the Government are behaving with the incompetence and arrogance we have come to know so well over the past four-and-a-half years.
I want to endorse every word so ably and so eloquently spoken by Senator Yeats and to emphasise again the undemocratic procedures which have been entertained for so long by the Government in so far as Members of this House are concerned. That comes from a Government who professed at the recent Ard Fheis that they are the champions of democracy. The country will know that the type of democracy we have been getting here is the guillotine when it suits. Legislation is being rushed through. We have had many instances of that, and even some legislation relating to the EEC was rushed in here at the last minute by the Minister for Foreign Affairs some time ago. It was rushed through this House practically without Members knowing what was in it. That is the type of effort that we certainly want to protset against. It is only fair to say it is typical of the arrogance shown by the Government over the past four-and-a-half years. Again I wish to protest.
Anyone would get the impression that there is a general election around the corner. Senator Yeats, of course, is a person who does not like to lose his opportunities. It might be a pity—we all deplore it now and again—that this House does not get all the Press coverage we might think it is entitled to. With his flair for speaking to the media, it can be said of Senator Yeats that he does not miss his opportunities. All his protests about the Prisons Bill, about guillotines, and undemocratic procedures, and so on, are all for the Press. Senator Yeats knows, just as every Senator in this House knows, that the Prisons Bill is a short two section Bill. The substance of the Prisons Bill was discussed thoroughly by both Houses of the Oireachtas already and all that is involved at the moment is a short two section Bill extending the operation of the Act until 31st May, 1980. All Senators are aware also that that involves continuing to deal effectively with subversives and that is the reason for this extension. The fundamental reason why it is necessary to extend the Prisons Bill is because of activities over which the——
I am afraid the Leader of the House is now going into the merits of the measure. The only point to be discussed is whether it should be taken today and at short notice.
I never argue with the Chair however I may feel with regard to the views he expresses. I will conclude by saying obviously it is necessary to have the Prisons Bill for reasons I have given and reasons I am not permitted to give. There is no question of the Government dealing with this House in an undemocratic or arrogant manner. We are making this proposition and it is open to the House to accept it or reject it.
Is it intended to sit tomorrow?
Yes.
On a point of order, I am not quite clear what we are being asked to agree to. Obviously Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are before us. The Prisons Bill has not yet arrived. Will we have another decision to take later?
Nos. 1, 3 and 2 in that order.
There is no such Bill before us at the moment.
As I understand it, the proposal is to take items Nos. 1, 3 and 2 and to take the Prisons Bill when received from the Dáil and, if necessary, to pass an Early Signature Motion in that connection.
Can we take a decision now on a Bill we do not have?
I think the House can take that decision now.
I do not know the reason for Senator Yeats's confusion. He was arguing against it for about ten minutes and now he says he does not know what it was all about.
I was arguing against this proposition, this technical question, as to whether we can now include in the Order of Business an item which has not even left the Dáil. It is due to the incompetence of the Government that the matter arises in this form.
The House is in control of its own business.
Order of Business agreed to.