It is intended that we take items Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 on the Order Paper. Regarding the matter raised by Senator Norris and referred to by you, a sub-committee of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges has already been set up and the situation regarding motions of urgency will be taken into account when that committee meets.
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business, may I suggest that Seanad Éireann as the less party political of the two Houses, and the only one in session at the moment should welcome the moves towards dialogue in Northern Ireland arising from the report of the Unionist task force and should express its hope that there will be a fruitful outcome to these first new beginnings with the full sympathy, but without any interference, from this State.
On this side of the House we would certainly like to be associated with those good wishes from Senator Murphy towards the beginning of dialogue in Northern Ireland. On the Order of Business, I would like to ask the Leader of the House if he would give us some guidance as to Government policy on the refusal yesterday by the Department of Foreign Affairs to receive a delegation from Kampuchea who had come to this country to express their gratitude for the donations and help of the people of this country. This group was received by senior Irish politicians but yet was refused recognition by the Department of Foreign Affairs. This is all the more bizarre because our policy over the years has been consistently to try to make the situation somewhat easier for the Government which replaced the barbarous Pol Pot regime.
The Senator is now making a speech.
Would the Leader of the House be prepared to enter into discussions today with the Whips to see if the Darndale motion could be discussed either today or tomorrow? My intentions are very similar to those of Senator Haughey. We both feel very strongly for the people who are being misrepresented in what is happening.
On the Order of Business would the Leader of the House be prepared to consider accepting an all-party motion at the beginning of the next session for a full scale debate on the Constitution such as was envisaged here last week? Finally, could the Leader of the House give some indication of the business for next week and the days when it is intended to sit?
May I reiterate a question which Senator Manning asked and address it to Senator Manning and his party and the Government party because I met the president of the Kampuchean Red Cross. Why cannot our Government meet the president of the Kampuchean Red Cross. That is a deplorable stain on our image as an independent country with concern for human rights as we recognise the most genocidal——
The Senator is making a speech. If the Senator asks a question the Leader of the House will answer it.
I want to know if either the previous Government or the present Government can explain how they recognise the most genocidal regimes——
There is nothing on the Order Paper about what the Senator is saying.
On the Order of Business I should like to associate myself with the remarks made by Senator Manning and Senator Murphy about the need for dialogue in Northern Ireland between the two communities and specifically for us not to interfere in that particular dialogue. With that in mind I should like to congratulate the Leader of the House and the Chief Whip of the Fianna Fáil Party for their continued refusal to sign Item No. 38 on the Order Paper. As they have taken a responsible attitude to the issue of extradition perhaps they would persuade the less responsible members of their party to take this item off the Order Paper.
On the Order of Business perhaps the Cathaoirleach will pardon me if I express surprise. I appreciate that the Cathaoirleach tries to keep order and it surprises me, as a rural Senator, that the people who try to bulldoze, who try to make a speech to get their point across, people we would like to look up to, people who are called professors, are the people who ridicule——
I suggest that this is outrageous.
These people are always in breach of the rules. The first hour in the Seanad is always taken up by the professionals who try to bulldoze, try to get sensational headlines in the papers. After the first 20 minutes they are gone from the Seanad and those are the people——
Speech.
I hope I am in order. I hope I am contributing.
Actually you are joining the ranks of the ones you are criticising. You are near the border line. I call on the Leader of the House to conclude.
I should like to refer to the questions raised by Senator Manning. Matters relating to the Department of Foreign Affairs are within the ambit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. They are not in my area of responsibility. The matter should be taken up with the Minister and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
In regard to discussing the Darndale issue, the decisions taken by the Cathaoirleach was the decision of the Cathaoirleach. It was not a decision of the Government; it was not a decision of the party or this side of the House. The Chair's decision is based on Standing Orders but I agree, as other Senators have suggested, that we should have discussions during the day to see how we can get over that.
So far as a discussion on the Constitution is concerned I have no worries about taking a motion on that subject in due course. I said last week there was no way we could get into a full scale discussion on the Constitution in this session.
We will take items Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The motion will be taken from 6.30 p.m. until 8 p.m. If all stages of the Tourist Traffic Bill, 1987, and the Urban Renewal (Amendment) Bill, 1987, have been dealt with we will continue after 8 p.m. with the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (Amendment) Bill, 1987. It is intended that we will sit late this evening. Tomorrow we will be sitting possibly until 8 p.m. We can have discussions on the ordering of the items for next week but it is likely that we will sit Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The question relating to Foreign Affairs was raised by Senator Manning and Senator Brendan Ryan. I have already replied to that. I am glad Senator Ross has withdrawn his amendment to item No. 38. Since that amendment is withdrawn, we will withdraw the motion.
It has not been withdrawn.
Order of Business agreed to.