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Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 1 Jun 1983

Vol. 100 No. 13

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take No. 1 and, if No. 1 is completed today, to take No. 2. The position in regard to the Finance Bill is that this Bill must be promulgated by 9 June. While it would be possible for us to leave Committee Stage until as late as next Tuesday it would in fact curtail very seriously the time necessary for the preparation of the formal copy of the Bill and its consideration by the President, so I express the hope that the House will be able to deal with all Stages of the Bill this week.

While it might be expected that the Seanad is becoming accustomed to the fact that the Finance Bill is sent to it with very little time for consideration, I do not think that is any reason why we should accept that position without making our views known. We have very little time this year though we have more time than we have had in some years in the past. Nevertheless it is an unsatisfactory position. The Constitution limits the period of consideration of this Bill to 21 days. That is no reason why the 21 days should be shortened to seven. I thought it right that on behalf of all Members of this House I should indicate the fact that this recurrent event of the Finance Bill coming to us at a very late stage is an irritant which we would like to see removed.

I wish to raise the question of security in this House. Documents which I had in my possession pertaining to Nicky Kelly disappeared from here last week.

No, it is not a matter for the Order of Business.

We had questions about security in this House which referred to our persons. I would prefer to have my person unguarded and my documents safe.

It is completely out of order.

I totally concur with what the Leader of the House has said regarding the lateness of this House getting the Finance Bill. It does not give the House the proper amount of time to deal with the amendments that have gone through the other House. In many cases the amendments are just as important — possibly more important — then the main sections of the Bill.

On the Order of Business, I agree with the Leader of the House in that we should sit for three days. Could he give us some indication as to whether we will sit late tonight or tomorrow night so that we could get away at a reasonable time on Friday since many Members of the House have long distances to travel? I do not think anybody will worry too much about sitting late tonight and possibly tomorrow night. We would like to have an indication as to the situation regarding Friday.

I welcome the point that Senator Lanigan has raised. I had contemplated sitting late tomorrow night, if necessary, to finish the Second Stage. But he has made the good point that perhaps we might add an hour or an hour-and-a-half to our sitting tonight just to make sure that we get off to a good start today.

I would suggest that we carry on the debate, that we adjourn in the normal fashion from 6 o'clock to 7 o'clock and that during that adjournment we should consider the question of whether we will finally adjourn this evening at 8.30 p.m. or whether we will go on until 10 o'clock. I do not think we should go on any later than 10 o'clock.

Order of Business agreed to.
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