It is proposed to take Nos. 1 to 7 in that order and to take Nos. 3 and 4 together.
Order of Business.
On the last occasion and on several previous occasions when the Seanad met the Labour group were pressing for the establishment of a Joint Committee on the Secondary Legislation of the European Communities and we tabled a motion to that effect—No. 15 on the Order Paper. When the Seanad last met I asked that it would be taken this week and I asked for an undertaking by the Leader of the House that time would be given. I see that, in fact the Government have at last tabled a motion in the Dáil and I should like information from the Leader of the House when it is likely to be taken in the Dáil and when this House will have an opportunity of taking a similar motion to establish this committee. It really is incredible that six months have passed since that committee last sat, that is six months of its statutory period when it could examine and recommend the annulment of Irish ministerial regulations of Irish statutory instruments. In my view, and in the view of the Labour group, it is essential that this committee meet before Christmas and in order to do that we must have an assurance that the Government will have the motions taken in the Dáil and in the Seanad next week at the very latest.
I cannot give an undertaking about what happens in the Dáil, but I think the procedure is that as soon as it is passed in the Dáil it automatically goes on to the Order Paper here. It will be taken here as soon as it goes through the Dáil.
Order of Business agreed.