It is proposed to take Items Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Order of Business.
The Order Paper mentions the Second Stage of Item No. 2 only. Would all Stages of that Bill be taken today? We certainly would be agreeable to that.
Yes.
When can we expect the next Committee Stage debate on the Video Recordings Bill and when will the remaining Stages of the Companies Bill be ready for the House? May I also ask the Leader of the House if he has any idea at this stage of new legislation which may be introduced in the House in this current session? Finally, on yesterday's Order of Business would he think again about the possibility of a debate on the security situation some time in the coming week?
In connection with the Insurance Bill, when are we likely to get to the Committee Stage? The Minister in his Second Stage speech intimated that he had amendments, which we hope he will not bring forward; but we are anxious to know what the format is and when we are likely to have the Minister on that particular legislation.
On yesterday's Order Paper there was an innocuous little reference under "Páipéar a leagadh faoi bhráid an tSeanaid, Papers laid before the Seanad" that I would like to ask the Leader of the House about. It was a special report from the Ombudsman. It is most unusual for the Ombudsman to have to do this. It is one of his legal powers that where something serious happens he can supply a special report. It is an extremely important issue. It behoves the Government if they take the Office of the Ombudsman seriously, which I doubt, but if they do——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It is not allowed to expand on the argument. The Senator certainly can raise a question.
I was not expanding, I was contracting, and I was about to conclude. I think the Leader ought to allow a matter of such seriousness and such gravity, which has been seen by the Ombudsman to be so serious, to be debated in this House and to be debated in Government time. A fundamental question of justice in our society——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
There are two motions on the Order Paper, No. 47 and No. 50, dealing with that subject.
On the question raised by Senator B. Ryan, the papers laid before the Seanad come before the Seanad. If the Senator wants to raise this matter he can put in a notice of motion and then we can consider the matter. On item No. 6 — the Insurance Bill, Committee Stage — we will be taking that next week. The Video Recordings Bill will also be taken next week. So also will the Adoption Bill and the Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta Bill. I am not too sure of the Companies Bill, but it will more than likely be the week after. We will contact the Members in good time if the Companies Bill is coming on next week. On the question of a debate on security, I will reserve at this stage any comments on that.
Order of Business agreed to.