It is proposed to take Items Nos. 1, 2 and 3. It is intended to take all stages of Item No. 1.
Order of Business.
There are two points I wish to make. Could the Leader of the House give us some indication as to whether any new Bills are planned for introduction in the House in the coming weeks? Secondly, I would like to draw the attention of the House to reports in the newspapers today of the apparent suppression of a major report on the reorganisation of the Garda Síochána. I would like to ask the Leader of the House if at some stage we could have a debate in the House on this matter of major national importance to ensure that this new report does not meet the fate of previous reports such as the SKC report and the Conroy report all of which died a death in the Department of Justice. This is a matter at which we, in this House, should look with great care and attention.
May I point out that Item No. 56 has been on the Order Paper for some time? This is the one which refers to section 31 of the Broadcasting Authority Act. It concerns an issue which is a matter of continuing public concern arousing conflicting views. May I suggest to the Leader of the House, through the Chair, that this is a good time to take it up? There are two reasons, in view, why we should discuss this as a matter of urgency. One is the breach of the Act which occurred yesterday and the other is that, irrespective of whether the section is being implemented, the national broadcasting service otherwise in matters affecting Anglo-Irish and Northern Ireland relations in recent weeks would appear to be displaying an alarming partisanship. Therefore, Item No. 56 should be taken as a matter of urgency. Might I also ask the Leader of the House whether Item No. 8 which seemed to be so much a matter of priority some weeks ago is now slipping away from us and if he would consider restoring it to that urgent position?
I would like to say that I am very pleased that under Standing Order 29 we will later today debate the Sharpeville Six. In connection with that could I draw the attention of those whom it concerns to Motion No. 62 where there is a misspelling of the name of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. T-u-t-u is the spelling and I would like to see that corrected on a future Order Paper. Could I also ask the Leader of the House to comment on the Adoption (No. 2) Bill. I do not intend to range once again over the reasons I consider it an item of extreme urgency. I hope he can report some progress today to the House where people are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to conclude this debate and, indeed, those affected by this legislation are looking to this House for a resolution of the matter.
I would like to refer to Item No. 8 on the Order Paper — Seanad Éireann taking note of recent events affecting Anglo-Irish relations. It is unfortunate that this matter was taken off the Order Paper last week because of an apparent closing up of events and the need to get through legislation. Everything that has happened in the past number of weeks points to a very clear need to have a full discussion on the whole area of Anglo-Irish relations. There never was a greater need. I believe that the Leader of the House is shying away from this issue and is afraid to grasp the nettle of Anglo-Irish relations. People have views to offer and I would ask him to give this issue priority. I also want to raise the general question of legislation. In the last session the Leader of the House told us——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
The Order of Business should really only deal with what is being ordered for the day, so if the Senator would confine himself to items which are already on the Clár it would be a help.
I am raising the question of legislation which should be but is not on the Order Paper and which the Leader of the House assured us over the past six months would be there. There seems to be a sort of legislative constipation judging by the shortage of work before us. I would also like to refer to the constitutional problems which seem to have arisen with the Adoption (No. 2) Bill. In fairness, if the Government are having difficulty with presenting the Adoption (No. 2) Bill to the House, we should at least be told what the problem is so that we will not be standing up here day after day making the same arguments on the issue. I ask for clarification from the Leader of the House on where we stand on the Adoption (No. 2) Bill.
On the Order of Business, the House will have to decide what the sittings for next week will be. I ask the Leader of the House and every Member of the House seriously to consider sitting next week and making a serious attempt to take some of the 62 motions which have been on the Order Paper for a very long time. In fairness to Members of the House, some of them travel a fair distance, including myself. When you hear Members saying we do not have enough business for next week it is very difficult to understand why the build up of motions is allowed to continue. I am not saying that to be critical, but in the hope that I will get a response from everybody in the House and that we will approach the business and try in a serious manner to clear the backlog.
I would like to ask the Leader of the House whether in the present session provision could be made for a debate on services for the disabled. We have the Green Paper "Towards a Full Life" and the Labour Party have a number of major areas of concern regarding services for the disabled.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
Senator Ross.
I was not standing this time.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
It is an example of the way the Chair's eye rolls around and I had already noticed that you were trying to get in.
I would like to support what Senator McGowan has said in his slight confusion about what the plans are for next week. I would like the Leader of the House to spell out in detail what he intends this House to do before Easter, which days he intends us to sit next week, what we will discuss, when we will break up for Easter and whether we are sitting the week afterwards. Secondly, I support my colleague, Senator Murphy, in his call for a debate on Item No. 56 although I do not stand on the same side as him. It is important that this section should be discussed. It has been breached. It is a matter of public interest.
Thirdly, on Anglo-Irish relations, which is Item No. 8 on the Order Paper, for some reason which I still do not understand we did not discuss that last week. Apparently the B & I Line Bill took precedence. I still do not understand why it took precedence. I still do not understand why we could not have sat yesterday to discuss Anglo-Irish relations all day. I do not understand why we cannot sit on Friday or Tuesday of next week to discuss Anglo-Irish relations. I would like to ask the Leader of the House not to duck this issue. It is important that this is discussed in a full debate before Easter. I ask him to give a commitment in his reply on when this is actually going to be debated.
I fully agree with Senator Bulbulia. I would like some information on the Adoption (No. 2) Bill. I must be in double figures at this stage on the number of occasions I have raised the question of the Adoption (No. 2) Bill. I appreciate it is not the fault of the Leader of the House. Unfortunately he is the only channel we have to find out whose fault it is and why. Therefore, I am not going to pick an argument with him about that. May I point out that the matter which Senator Manning refered to, the suppression of a report on the gardaí, would be an impeccable argument for a comprehensive debate and the passing of Item No. 7, the Freedom of Information Bill? It is a classic example of what the public should know and will not be allowed to know about. I wish to ask on the Order of Business for the reponse of the Committee of Procedure and Privileges to a proposal of mine two weeks ago that the President of the African National Congress should be invited to address this House. I would like to know whether the Committee on Procedure and Privileges actually came to a decision on that matter and, if they did, what the decision was. I think the House is entitled to know.
May I say, in conclusion, it is time we had a debate on section 31 of the Broadcasting Authority Act? Perhaps it is time that instead of repeating, as we always do, condemnation of the IRA we began to ask ourselves why it is that so many people in Northern Ireland still apparently support the IRA. We should begin perhaps to understand some of that and then we would understand a lot better.
I agree with Senator McGowan. I have had a motion on the Order Paper for the past seven or eight months. It relates to the Land Commission. The Land Commission, in the part of the country from which I come, acquired quite an amount of land, some of it by compulsion and some of it by negotiation. Since then the Land Commission have been abolished. The land has become infertile and the premises on the land have become derelict. The land was purchased at a cost in the region of £2,000 per acre. Since that time the value of land has dropped to less than £1,000 per acre. The congests in the areas where that land is to be divided have refused to take portions of the property for the simple reason that the Land Commission are seeking the price they paid for it. I ask to have this motion taken as soon as possible.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I call on the Leader of the House to conclude the Order of Business.
I am not sure exactly where to start. Perhaps we could take the matters raised by a number of Senators regarding motions which have been on the Order Paper for quite some time. I agree it is not right that they should remain on the Order Paper. It is about time we started taking them. I suggest that as and from next week each Thursday we will work through these motions until we get rid of them and that no special motions will be allowed to come before the House until the Order Paper is cleared.
Regarding the matter raised by Senator Manning about a debate on the report on the Garda Síochána, that is a matter he can raise by way of a motion if he cares to do so. The same applies to the request by Senator Murphy on Item No. 56. That is down in his own name and he can, at any stage, bring that forward as a motion and he can give it his own priority over other motions which are down in the names of the Independents.
I disagree with the suggestion that this House is running out of business. This has been one of the busier Seanads and we will not run out of business. I agree that there has been an inordinate delay in bring the Adoption (No. 2) Bill to its conclusion. I can guarantee that it is not my fault and I can guarantee that it is not the fault of the Minister either. The Minister is very willing to take that Bill here as soon as possible. It is not for us to set out in any detail the problems which are arising regarding the legalities in this Bill. It would not be appropriate that the Attorney General, before he has decided on certain issues, would make a statement on the problems. We will take a debate on Anglo-Irish relations as soon as is feasible.
When?
As soon as is feasible. I have dealt with the matter regarding section 31, that is, Item No. 56. I do not think I have anything else to say on the Order of Business.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
Is the Order of Business agreed?
On a point of order——
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
I am not hearing a point of order. Is the Order of Business agreed?
Order of Business agreed to.