It is intended to take items Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, to commence item No. 4 at 1.30 p.m. and that the remainder of the motion will be taken at 6.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
I accept the Order of Business but could the Leader of the House inform us whether it is intended to complete Second Stage of the Video Recordings Bill today because some of us who want to make contributions may not be able to do so during the time afforded. I hope he will agree that Second Stage should not be completed today. Otherwise I accept the Order of Business and I thank the Leader of the House for item No. 1.
It is appropriate that I should express delight at the appointment of Catherine McGuinness as the chairperson——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It hardly arises on the Order of Business.
It was mentioned during one of the Adjournment debates and it reminded me how pleased I am that she has been appointed.
I have a very mundane question. Are we continuing from 1.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. or is there an adjournment? In other words are five hours or four hours being allocated for the Video Recordings Bill?
I would like to ask the Leader of the House if he has noticed item No. 11 on the Order Paper, which has gone down in the past two days. Have the Government any intention of abolishing the death penalty and have they any intention of giving Government time in the Seanad for this Bill. There is a real problem about this Bill because it was raised by the last Government and it was talked out by them with a slightly ambiguous pose on the death penalty. I would like to know whether the Government will give us time to debate the abolition of the death penalty or whether they will take a stand for or against it. I do not want to see this on the Order Paper for five years with nothing happening.
We will not be here for five years.
I would like to ask the Leader of the House if it is intended to sit tomorrow.
With regard to the announcement by the Minister for the Environment last week of the transferring of the Local Loans Fund from public to private funding could I ask the Leader of the House if time will be allocated for the House to discuss this? This is a vital matter particularly for those people who are earning less than £10,000 a year who are now told they will have to go to the private sector for funding. This can be very serious as interest rates——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It is one thing to raise a question but it is another thing to make a speech.
I appreciate that, but will time be allowed for a discussion on this because it is a very serious matter.
In view of the serious situation that has developed for workers, suppliers and creditors in the H. Williams dispute could I ask the Leader of the House to make a statement on the matter?
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That hardly arises on the Order of Business. It is not fair to expect the Leader of the House to be able to respond to miscellaneous matters of that sort.
It would not be appropriate for me to respond to Senator Hogan's request. He should know that matter is being dealt with by the Minister. I do not know what way to respond to Senator Cregan's request for a debate on the Local Loans Fund because we debated the Local Loans Fund (Amendment) Bill in the Seanad yesterday. Since he has such an interest in it, it would have been appropriate that he should have been here.
Be realistic.
There was only one speaker on that item from his group.
On a point of order, Senator Cregan was here but if it was one of Senator Lanigan's party——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
The matter of pairing does not come into it.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
Order, please.
That matter was dealt with here yesterday and anybody who could have——
On a point of order, the matter dealt with yesterday came under the Department of Finance and the Seanad was addressed by the Minister for Finance. The matter Senator Cregan raised is an environmental one.
(Interruptions.)
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
That is irrelevant. I ask Members of the House to take the Order of Business seriously. Senator Lanigan to conclude.
Could the Leader of the House——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
Senator Cregan you have asked your question and made your point. I have already called on the Leader of the House to conclude on the Order of Business and it is not appropriate for any other Senator to speak at this point. Senator Lanigan to conclude on the Order of Business.
I will notify the Whips at lunchtime on the situation regarding tomorrow. We will not be giving Government time to item No. 11. Thirteen Bills have been introduced during this session of the Seanad, the largest number of Bills introduced in any election year. This equals the greatest number of Bills ever introduced in the Seanad in a year. We will continue to introduce Bills and it is not intended that item No. 11 will be given Government time.
Senator Ferris asked about item No. 4. It is intended that sufficient time will be given to Second Stage of the Video Recordings Bill to give everybody an opportunity to discuss it. However, if the debate breaks down today we can extend it to some other day. We can break from 6 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. if that is the wish of the House.
Order of Business agreed to.