It is proposed to take Nos. 1 and 2.
Order of Business.
Last week I asked the Leader of the House if it might be possible to arrange to take motion No. 15 on the Employment Equality Agency, which is a motion of considerable urgency because of the fact that the agency claim to be under-funded to achieve the functions they have been given under statute in the area of ensuring equality of employment. The urgency is that the House ought to have an opportunity to take this motion before the budgetary provisions in January in order to be able to express a view on the first report of the Employment Equality Agency. I wonder if the Leader of the House has been able to make any arrangements for this motion to be taken as a matter of urgency.
I understood that an Independent motion would be taken today. I understand now that no Independent motion will be taken today. I wonder could the Leader of the House tell us if it is proposed to take an Independent motion next week.
I should like to make a point on that. It was conveyed to me yesterday by Senator Ryan that it would be feasible to take motion No. 5, which stands in my name, today. I demurred because any motion would require a week's notice, at least, to the mover of the motion. While welcoming the suggestion that this motion should be taken soon, certainly, as I say, I would want a week's notice, I would suggest that motion No. 5 should be taken next week.
In reply to Senator Murphy, I do not agree necessarily that a week's notice should be given to somebody. From the time Members table motions they should be ready to have them taken. I was told about a motion in my name at 7.30 the evening before and, despite the fact that it was inconvenient, I was willing to allow that motion to go ahead. Other Senators who table motions should be prepared to take them when the Leader of the House decides.
I suggest that kind of short notice is a discourtesy not only to the proposer of the motion but to the House as a whole.
I certainly agree with Senator Harney that when Senators have been pressing for a motion to be taken they should be ready to go on at relatively short notice. It is not a question of always being able to fit in a motion exactly when the mover would like it. In this case I had to bear in mind that I had been asked to take motion No. 15, and it is quite possible that it would have been taken today. Because the Minister for Education will be here today taking a Bill it seemed appropriate to put in a motion on education to be taken with the Bill. I found in the end that the mover of the motion was not willing to take it at what he regarded as short notice. As things stand at the moment, it is not possible to take a motion today. Certainly, I will endeavour to have a motion taken next week. I would ask those who are next in line to have a motion taken, and particularly when they are pressing me to have their motion taken, to be ready to go on. It may not be possible for me to give more than a few days' notice. I will endeavour to give notice if I can, but it may not always be possible.
I would be prepared to go at very short notice on the Employment Equality Agency motion, which is a very important and urgent motion.
Order of Business agreed to.