It is proposed to take items Nos. 5 to 11, inclusive.
Death of Member. - Order of Business.
I would like to ask the Leader of the House what approach he intends to adopt to the debating of motions on matters of public interest in this House. Indeed, the Leader of the House is a long serving Member and he knows that the Seanad has been under-used and underdeveloped as a House of the Oireachtas. It is particularly important to develop it at a time when the Dáil has become more and more absorbed by the increasing complexity of Government legislation and administration. We should use the Seanad in a creative and initiatory capacity as well as to process Government business.
Ireland has a very rapidly changing society. All the important economic and social indicators have changed since the Constitution of 1937 established the Dáil and Seanad. But the Seanad itself and the role of the Seanad have not developed in accordance with this very dramatic change in our society. The Labour Members have tabled three substantial motions, including a motion calling for a system of family courts in this country. I ask the Leader of the House, who has on previous occasions expressed concern for the role of the Seanad, to guarantee time for discussion of them. I would ask him to give an indication of whether time will be given on a regular monthly basis for discussion of motions of this sort and whether he will take a lead in ensuring full use of the Seanad. Will there be a full opportunity to expand on its educational potential and allow this House to make a contribution to the life of the nation? It is never too soon to set the tone of a Seanad entering a new term and therefore I would welcome an indication of his attitude on this matter.
I would like to support what Senator Robinson has said and ask the Leader of the House to give us a realistic proposal, perhaps not on this occasion, but to work out a realistic proposal with the Whips consulting with the Opposition and the Independents because we have consistently had these pious hopes about debates on motions that we were going to take at regular intervals and these hopes have not been realised. Perhaps on this occasion, if we wish really to fulfil our duties as the Upper House of the Oireachtas the Leader of the House, in consultation with the Opposition, could work out a regular programme that we should be able to adhere to during the period of this administration.
I ask the Leader of the House to tell us what will happen to all those motions tabled by Fianna Fáil Senators that lay on the Order Paper for four years and that were not debated. We had refusals by the National Coalition Government to debate them for four years. I ask the Leader of the House to tell us what will happen to them now.
I would like to associate myself with the remarks made by the previous three Senators on this matter. In the past one of the scandals of this House, it seems to me, has been that there has been a continuous build-up of motions on the Order Paper. I notice, interestingly, that they have now been abolished. Have they gone?
They have gone.
They were dead anyway during the progress of the last Government. In other words, we had down there a whole series of things. Senator Robinson has spoken quite directly in terms of the Labour interest in the matter. I think Senator West and myself would be interested really with regard to the general structure of the Seanad itself, with regard to raising matters which are not normally raised in the Dáil and which are not necessarily involved in the current legislative process and momentum that is going through the Dáil.
As I said, a whole series of motions are now dead. They remained dead during the course of the last Seanad. There was a general feeling among us all that we did not meet often enough that we only met when the Dáil more or less wanted us to meet and when the Government in power decided that we should come along here and speak. There were a great number of things that we were passionately interested in and we saw the lifetime of an entire Seanad go and none of these matters was drawn into the area of the public interest. We have to resurrect them again. I would like to add my voice to that of Senator Robinson, Senator West and Senator McGlinchey and ask if there is any hope that in the life of the present Seanad the Leader of the House could give us some kind of assurance that a number of these issues will be debated and that the Seanad will not always be merely something that has to dance to the tune of the Dáil and obey the special interests of the Government in power at every given moment.
Just to put the record straight and to ensure that a total picture emerges from this when we are debating the Order of Business, it is my understanding that the last Seanad sat on more occasions than any previous Seanad and that more important Bills were initiated in this House during the lifetime of that Seanad than in any previous Seanad.
I want to support Senator Robinson in her proposal that greater use be made of the Seanad. May I broaden it a little by saying that now is a good time to set any trend that might be of benefit to the average Member of the House? Might I go a little further in suggesting that the House should not be completely dominated and hogged by those who are very fluent in English, in other words, that we do not come in here and have to listen day after day to people who are using the House for sensationalism? We should use the House in a more practical way and not have to spend extra days sitting because somebody has spent a long time writing a speech and wants to get publicity. This House should be used for the purpose for which it is entitled to be used, not used as a platform for some people who want to air their views.
I do not want to start on a note of rancour but I think that now is a good time to say this. I hope there will be some measure of agreement whereby contributions from any Senator, let him be in the front bench or the back bench, or wherever he sits or whatever point of view he represents, will be heard and that he will not be prevented from speaking by those who are very eloquent.
As the new boy equally shy in both languages for the present I would like to add my voice in support of what Senator Robinson and other Senators have suggested that, by agreement, procedure be worked out under which the Seanad could have from time to time debates on matters of public interest which do not arise immediately out of the legislation coming before us.
I have been asked to give an assurance that this Seanad will conduct its business as far as motions are concerned more effectively than the last one. I am happy to give that assurance. It would be premature for me to attempt to go into any detail today in regard to how that should be done. Initially, it is a matter for discussion by the Whips and subsequently it is probably a matter for discussion by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I will ensure that these discussions take place as quickly as possible and that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges consider the position. Those who were Members of the House before are aware that the Committee made a proposal during the last Seanad which was not very effective. We will have to look at it again and see if we can make an arrangement which will be more effective. I am in general agreement with the sentiments which have been expressed by Members of the House on this subject. As I say, it is a matter for discussion by the Whips initially and then probably a matter for discussion by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. It is not something which I intend to put on the long finger.
Order of Business agreed to.