We propose to take items Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, and in that order. The House will adjourn for lunch from 1.30 to 3 p.m.
Order of Business.
I have no objection to what is proposed, but I feel I must make a comment on the way the Government are ordering the business of the other House and this House that results in us, on the second last day the other House is sitting, being presented with an Order Paper with 11 Bills on it.
It is only the Business of this House that arises on the Order of Business here, not the business of the other House.
With respect, the business we get is regulated by the procedure of the other House. I am only mentioning that incidentally to make the complaint that in this House we are being offered an Order Paper with 11 Bills on it in the knowledge that the other House, to which these Bills will have to go back if we make amendments on them, is adjourning tomorrow. It makes a farce of this House's part of the legislative process. It is being used as a rubber stamp. We have a succession of Ministers of State here with little interest in and little knowledge of most of the Bills they are presenting here, not having dealt with them in the other House. The whole thing is a farce.
Would it be possible to discuss Developments in the European Communities before the summer break? The thirteenth report deals with the period from mid-1978 until 1 January 1979. An order of the House guarantees that we would have an opportunity of reviewing the Communities twice annually. It is highly desirable that the House should have an opportunity to discuss these three reports that are now on the Table of the House, especially since not only the Community but the country is going through a lean time economically. Can we have an indication of when we may have a discussion on these three reports?
I would like to support everything Senator Cooney has said. I have looked through the first nine Bills on the Order Paper and there are some major items of legislation included amongst them. I sincerely hope it is not intended that these Bills will be dealt with today and tomorrow, in time for them to go back to the Dáil to be amended if necessary, because it is just a physical impossibility. We are going to do a great injustice to the institution of the Legislature if we expect the Seanad to deal with a fraction of the Bills listed.
In reply to Senator Cooney, I have no comment to make. I agree with him as far as this is concerned, but this has been the practice through the years. When we were on the Opposition benches a few years ago we said the very same thing. This is something that might be discussed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to see if the matter could be rectified.
I can assure Senator Molony that there is no intention of rushing through any business before us. We will be sitting three days next week, and maybe the week after to conclude business. As regards Senator McDonald's question, I will certainly look into that and perhaps I will be able to reply to him tomorrow morning.
Order of Business agreed to.