I have notice of three matters on the half-hour Adjournment, from Senator Ferris concerning the Irish Leathers Factory in Carrick-on-Suir; Senator Fitzsimons concerning adult education; and Senator Killilea concerning the Letterfrack group water scheme. In view of my acceptance of the motion raised by Senator Brendan Ryan, a matter on the half-hour Adjournment cannot be taken today. Senators Ferris, Fitzsimons and Killilea may give notice for another day of the matters they wish to raise.
Business of Seanad.
It is on that very point that I want to ask a question. I, like many other Senators in this House, am quite dismayed with that has happened in Libya and with the American attitude to Libya. I do not want to be misconstrued in any way that I am condoning what happened. I think it is grossly unfair to the individual Senators who have a half-hour allotted to them here under Standing Orders to raise important matters on the Adjournment and cannot do so because of this international problem about which there is nothing we can do except place our utterances on record. I find it rather sad that, on major problems, some of them national and some constituency, which are the private right of any Senator to raise, because of this method of raising such an international matter, we lose out. It is wrong that Senators should be placed in that situation. There are many other ways in which such motions should be put down and they would get the total support of this House in the ordinary way rather than depriving Senators of what is their basic right in this House by such action as has been taken today. I wish to protest in the strongest possible way. We have very few individual rights in this House as was proved when I asked the Leader of the House if he could do something about the withdrawal of the facility for telegrams for the Members of this House who have had that facility for the last 17 or 18 years. I believe firmly that the rights of Senators——
I will have to ask Senator Killilea to resume his seat, please.
I will when I finish this sentence. I am extremely upset by the consistent withdrawal of facilities which have always been available to Senators both in regard to the business of the House and in other respects. I take exception to this attitude.
In fairness, the Chair had to arrive at a decision about which of these matters should be taken either on the Adjournment or as a matter of urgency. Like Senator Killilea, as one of those who are involved, in having a specific item down for discussion, an item which in my opinion was extremely important, the Chair gave us the option, by standing or not, to decide what was the most urgent matter that could be taken within the time limit available to us. Perhaps we should look at Standing Orders. I stood on the Libyan matter because I consider it is of national and international importance. I think it concerns the safety of many people in this country. If this House is to express an opinion about it, it should be empowered to do so under some Standing Order. That does not mean that Senator Killilea's motion and mine and all the rest are not important too, but the Chair has to arrive at the decision.
I do not like ruling the acting Leader of the House out of order, but he is completely out of order. The situation is that from time to time we get motions such as this. I accept them or I reject them. I could go no further today to meet Senators than by asking for five Senators to stand. I can see Senator Killilea's point and I can also see Senator Brendan Ryan's point, but that is the situation. As the Leader of the House says, if Senators want to do something it is embodied in Standing Orders. I am only carrying out your Standing Orders. If you want to change them at any time you have the right to do so.
I do not disagree with that.
That is the situation.
It is a sad situation.
I agree with that.