Before moving to section 5, could we ask the Leader of the House what we intend to do regarding the rest of the evening? Because of the way the Bill is going it might be better if we did continue right through and finish tonight if possible.
Business of Seanad.
It was agreed on the Order of Business that there should be a sos from 5.30 p.m. until 6.30 p.m. It was agreed a number of weeks ago that Committee Stage of the Bill should conclude this week. At this stage it is a matter entirely for the House but the consensus would appear to be that we should sit late tonight to finish Committee Stage.
I wonder how late is "late"? What is the Fine Gael version of "late"?
The decision already taken and adopted, and what we have been working towards over the last number of weeks, was that the House would conclude Committee Stage this week so that we could have a period between Committee Stage and Report Stage to be ordered for next Tuesday. I am quite easy, but I think the consensus of the Members to whom I have been speaking is that we should sit to finish Committee Stage tonight.
I would agree with that, and since the Minister has given the undertaking to the House that no questioning can take place between midnight and 8 a.m. unless the accused gives his consent in writing, I would say that 12 o'clock is probably the latest we should sit.
I am not entirely clear from what Senator McDonald has said whether he means that we should take the proposed sos between 5.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. or whether we should go straight on. I think it might be better to go straight on and get it done as quickly as possible, rather than taking an hour off and making it an hour later, particularly for those Members who have to go to the country.
We should go straight through.
I agree.
I should imagine that the Minister would need a break. He has been here all day and the debate on the last section lasted more than a day. I am sure that the rest of the amendments will not be as contentious. It would be unreasonable to expect the Minister to continue without a break. He has been sitting here consistently all day.
We could break from 6 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.
(Limerick East): I do not necessarily need a break of an hour. If I had two or three breaks of ten minutes, it would be of more benefit to me than one break of an hour.
Would it be acceptable if somebody could substitute for the Minister for an hour during his tea break?
We would agree that half an hour would do. The Minister has indicated that he does not need an hour.
What about 6 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.?
I would be in agreement with that. I am very appreciative of the Minister saying he does not need a whole hour and I do appreciate that he needs some break, but perhaps if we could cut it down to half an hour it would bring forward the time when the debate might end.
Is a break from 6 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. agreed to?
Agreed.