It is proposed to sit until 12.30, then suspend the sitting until 1.30 and to sit until 4.30. It is proposed to take items 1, 2 and 3. These are all matters concerned with the operation of Joint Committees of the Oireachtas; then to take Nos. 4, 5 and 6, which are three small Bills all concerned with agricultural matters. In connection with Nos. 4 and 6, we are still on Second Stage, and I would suggest that a separate Committee Stage is required and that could be taken this afternoon after the resumption. I suggest that the Committee Stages of Nos. 4 and 6 be taken either immediately after the Second Stages or else taken this afternoon. I do not think that in any of these Bills there would be a justification for adjourning until next week. It is then proposed to take Items Nos. 7 and 8: these are concerned with developments in the EEC up to the end of 1983. It is only proper that the House should dispose of this question before adjourning for the summer rather than let it drag over more than six months beyond the period under discussion. Also we should order No. 9. We should leave ourselves flexible and decide after the luncheon suspension as to how we would proceed this afternoon in regard to Nos. 8 and 9.
Order of Business.
I agree with the Leader of the House and suggest that we take the Committee Stages of both Nos. 4 and 6 immediately on the completion of the Second Stages.
My memory may be defective — perhaps there are many other things about me that many Members might regard as defective too. I recall the Leader of the House saying he would be able to give us some indication today of the business we would have before the summer Adjournment.
As regards item No. 19 on the Order Paper, which is a motion on the assault on the people of Nicaragua by the present United States Administration, since it is neither an Independant Member's motion nor a Labour Party motion I was wondering when or if we might be able to take it. There are those of us who believe that there are more profound issues to be discussed in the world than the admittedly objectionable burning of a flag, like the assault on a small nation by the most powerful nation in the world. I would wonder under what time and business we could take that motion since it is both topical, alive and very relevant to a small and very brave people.
In relation to next week's business, we will be taking that business which is passing through the Dáil. We can only take that business if it passes the Dáil this week. We already have on our Order Paper the Copyright Bill and the Road Traffic Bill. It is definitely proposed to take those next week and No. 12 on our Order Paper, the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (Amendment) Bill which is an extension of the present scheme enabling people to purchase their ground rents.
As I mentioned yesterday, the Irish Steel Bill is a Money Bill and therefore we will have to deal with it. There are a number of other Bills. There is the Air Transport Bill, there is the Misuse of Drugs Bill, there is the Criminal Justice Bill. In all of these cases there is a possibility but until we know how the Dáil disposes of them today it will be impossible to say. If there is any further hard information in the course of the day I will give it to the House.
In regard to Motion No. 19, as Senator Brendan Ryan has noted this is in a sense a hybrid motion in that it is down in the names of Senator Brendan Ryan and three members of the Labour Party. The manner of dealing with Private Members' Motions is that they are taken in rotation among the four groups in the House. It is for each group when their turn comes to say what motion they wish to take. If either the Labour Party or the Independent group indicate that their priority is Item No. 19, the motion in relation to Nicaragua, then it will be taken when the turn of that group comes.