It is intended to take Item Nos. 5 and 6 today. To facilitate the House it is intended that both will be discussed together.
Order of Business.
We concur with the Order of Business. For the purpose of clarity, we wish to find out how we are to approach the problem of amendments to the Bill before us. We want to be constructive on this side of the House. I am aware that the Standing Orders applying to another place do not necessarily apply to the Seadad and that we will have an opportunity to discuss amendments to the Bills as proposed in the Order of Business. The purpose of the Labour Party amendments is self evident because they have been part of our policy for years in regard to neutrality and other cornerstones of foreign policy. We want the opportunity, in discussions with the Leader of the House, to table proper amendments. I want to know, a Chathaoirligh, how you will be accepting amendments and how the Standing Orders of this House will apply to amendments as opposed to what happened during the last couple of days in another place.
Is it intended to sit continuously until the business is completed or is it intended to adjourn today and return tomorrow? What precisely has been agreed? I would also like to point out as a member of the third largest group in the House that we now expect to be consulted and taken as a group. There are six to eight Independent Members and I can assure you we are a group and we intend to work as a group to ensure the maximum effective use of our position. We hope that we will be consulted about all matters to do with the operation and the business of the House.
In reply to Senator Brendan Ryan, I am sure that will be attended to but it would be necessary for that group to have somebody as a leader in order that we will not have to contact the seven or eight — maybe it is not that number at all — individually.
We will join that group.
Is the Order of Business agreed? Senator Ferris, on your point about the amendments and in case there is confusion, I presume you are referring to Committee Stage? If we complete Second Stage first, perhaps then the Whips of the parties could talk about amendments. I and the Leader of the House will do everything to ensure that everybody will be happy as regards amendments. I presume you are talking about amendments on Committee Stage.
I am, but in view of what happened in another place I want to ensure that the amendments, which could be similar to amendments which were tabled in another place, will be accepted as genuine amendments on Committee Stage and will not be interpreted by you as not being part of the Bill proper and outside the scope of the Bill. In agreeing to taking the Bill, as proposed by the Leader of the House, which I accept, I want to be constructive. We will require a ruling from you about similar amendments in another place which were ruled out of order according to their Standing Orders which, on my interpretation of our Standing Orders, would not arise in this case. I want to be clear on what we are doing.
Senator Ferris, let us commence the legislation. It will be a long day. I will certainly talk to you and the Whips will talk and we will try to make everybody happy and make sure that there will be no confusion. We have a long day ahead of us to get through Second Stage.
It is intended to give as much time as possible to Second Stage. At this stage we cannot decide on what is going to happen to amendments which we have not yet seen. We will leave that until they come in. It is intended that between Second Stage and Committee Stage there will be a break. I would prefer not to make any arrangements as to the timing of the debate at this stage. Senator Willie Ryan, the Whip on the Government side, will discuss the matters that have been raised with the Whips of the other parties. As Senator Ryan has said, it would be just as well if the Independent Members, who are no longer independent as they are now going to have a group ruling, would appoint a Whip.
On a point of clarification I should like to know if it is proposed to sit all day. Is a break or a cutoff time envisaged?
At this stage there is no arrangement except to get the debate under way. We will continue with the debate for as long as is necessary and there will be no breaks for meals. We will get on with the work we came to do.
Order of Business agreed to.
It is proposed to debate items Nos. 5 and 6 together.