It is proposed to take Nos. 1,2 and 3, in that order. It is not proposed to adjourn for lunch because Senators wanted the debate to be open-ended and in order to try to complete it I propose that we continue without interruption until the usual finishing time.
Order of Business.
Yesterday evening the House was treated with total contempt by the Government. Contempt was expressed by this side of the House for that treatment and, unfortunately, the recipient of our contempt happened to be the Minister of State, Deputy O'Brien. He was not the person we wished to direct our remarks at. A senior Minister was not in the House yesterday to address himself to a very important amendment to a statutory order on semi-State bodies because he was at a Fine Gael meeting. He was not allowed to leave that meeting to come to the Seanad. A senior Labour Minister did not know he was expected in this House. If that is the way the Government treat the House is it any wonder that the media are beginning to treat the House with contempt? The Irish Press Group have ceased to cover the proceedings of the House and obviously the Government agree with their assessment of politics in Ireland. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Brien, yesterday evening read a script which was a copy of a script delivered by Minister Kavanagh last week. The script writer did not have sufficient knowledge of literature to change the word formation in the sentences. The same sentences were read out by the Minister of State. A three hour debate is in progress on a very important motion dealing with unemployment in the building industry and it has been cut down by the Government side by bringing in two Ministers to attempt to refute the arguments put forward by this side. The Minister of State spent an hour rehashing the arguments put forward by the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Kavanagh. Every time we put down a motion the Government side table an amendment in order to take up some of the time allowed for debating the motion. If the Opposition are to be treated with contempt we will go to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to ensure that changes are made so that the Opposition are given sufficient time in debates on any motion.
From a conversation I had with the Leader of the House I am certain he agrees with the comments I have made about the contempt shown by the Government towards the House. I hope it will not continue during this session.
I do not know if this is relevant on the Order of Business but I should like to comment on some of the remarks made by Senator Lanigan. I share his concern if Ministers are not available at the time they should be.
If Ministers are not available there should be a good reason for their absence. They should attend here in preference to attending political party meetings.
On a point of order, before this gets out of hand I should like to point out that this debate has opened up on yesterday's Order of Business. We should get on to today's Order of Business. Is it correct to deal with yesterday's Order of Business in this way?
We did not get a script from either Minister yesterday.
It is appropriate to make some comment. I will communicate the views expressed by Senator Lanigan to the Minister, Deputy Bruton, who was attending a meeting. Minister Desmond was with me at another meeting and he was unaware that he was required here. I would ask the Chair to ensure that the House is properly facilitated in regard to monitors and so on in various rooms. The Seanad proceedings are not transmitted to some parts of Leinster House. Meetings take place with Ministers at the other end of Leinster House and people attending them have no idea of what is being debated in the Seanad. At times we do not hear the division bells. If the Minister, Deputy Desmond, had known that Minister Bruton was not available he could have been here within seconds.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
May we take Senator Harte's advice and conclude the debate?
It is appropriate that if Ministers are being condemned I should give the reason for the absence of one Minister. With regard to motions and amendments, I am sure Senator Lanigan would not subscribe to the idea that if there is not an amendment down Members from each side of the House should not have the opportunity to enter into the debate. Fianna Fáil had three speakers in succession and I had to ask that Senator Harte be allowed five minutes.
The reason he did not get in was because time was running out.
The formula is that we take speakers from each side.
Order of Business agreed to.