It is intended that we take Item No. 1 today and that the Minister will reply not later than 4.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
Is the Order of Business agreed?
I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business. The amendment I wish to move is that Item No. 58 on the Supplementary Order Paper be taken first today because a properly convened democratic meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union was subverted by a reconvened meeting which altered the composition of the delegation to exclude all representation from the Seanad. It is a matter of particular regret to me that this motion was proposed by you, a Chathaoirligh.
I move: "That Item No. 58 on the Supplementary Order Paper be inserted before Item No. 1."
I would like to register my disappointment that my request yesterday to raise a matter under Standing Order 29 asking the Minister to improve the pupil-teacher ratio number and to give extra teacher allocations to disadvantaged schools was not allowed. In the light of that matter not being raised, the ASTI are not voting today for the Programme for National Recovery. If we had had an opportunity to discuss that matter and to express our support, the Minister for Education might have seen fit to have given the concessions to the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland which would have helped to stabilise the Programme for National Recovery and give industrial peace.
We cannot raise that at this time.
The Order of Business for today is Item No. 1, with the Minister to reply at 4.30 p.m.
Ba mhaith liom arís ar maidin a fhiafraí den Cheannaire an bhfuil aon eolas breise faighte aige faoi chóras aistriúcháin a chur sa Teach seo. Bhí cruinniú aréir ag an gComhchoiste don Ghaeilge agus tugadh le tuiscint domsa mar bhall den chomhchoiste reachtúil sin go bhfuil obair éigin á dhéanamh agus go mbeadh córas aistriúcháin sa Teach seo tar éis laethanta saoire na Cásca. An bhfuil an Ceannaire in ann a insint domsa an bhfuil sé sin fíor nó bréagach? Má théann sé tar éis na Cásca ní amháin nach mbeidh mé sáta ach caithfidh mé rud éigin eile a dhéanamh le mo chearta bhunreachtúla a bhaint amach. I gcomhthéacs an eolais a fuair mé inné ag an gcomhchoiste, tá mé ag iarraidh ar an Cheannaire geallúint a thabhairt domsa agus do chuile dhuine anseo, go mbeidh an córas aistriúcháin ann tar éis na Cásca ar a dheireannaí.
I would like to ask the Leader of the House if it would be in order to make some arrangements today under Standing Orders to have a special motion of welcome for the changes in Russia, the dropping of Article Six of the Russian Constitution and also to welcome the changes in eastern Europe. It is appropriate that our parliamentary democracy, having for so many years sought changes in eastern Europe and having supported the reform movements there, should welcome the great advances of yesterday.
Ba mhaith liomsa tacú go láidir leis an méid a dúirt an Seanadóir Ó Foighil. Tá sé náireach agus mí bhunreachtúil nach féidir linne go bhfuil beagán Gaeilge á úsáid againn gan bheith cinnte gur féidir le Seanadóirí eile sin a thuiscint. Más ceist airgid atá ann nach bhfuil dóthain daoine ar fáil chun an córas a oibriú, is rud scannalach é sin, go bhfuil suim bheage airgid ag teacht eadrainn agus an ceart bhunreachtúil sin ba chóir go mbeidh ag gach ball de Thithe an Oireachtais.
I believe that you, a Chathaoirligh, have a particular responsibility to this House to ensure that we are not continuously discriminated against. Also, I second Senator Norris's amendment to the Order of Business and agree with his sentiments about the manner in which the particular issue was dealt with.
May I ask the Leader of the House when it is proposed to take Item No. 5 — the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Bill? Will it be taken next week?
Ar dtús, níl aon rud le rá agam i dtaobh an chóras aistriúcháin. Bhí cainteanna agam inné le daoine in a thaobh sin. Tá deacrachtaí i leith an fhoirgnimh mar gheall ar an chóras sin a chur isteach anseo. Tá daoine ag lorg freagra agus tá an córas aistriúcháin agus an córas teilifíse á bplé acu. Ní hé an Seanadóir Ó Foighil an chéad duine a d'ardaigh an tábhar seo sa Seanad. Ba é an Seanadóir Ó Conchubhair as Conamara a rinne é.
I will do the best I can. With little hints from An Seanadoir Pól Ó Foighil. I will keep hammering at it as well.
The Dún Laoghaire Harbour Bill will be taken the week after next. The Whips will be meeting formally at 11.30 a.m. to arrange the business for next week and to make tentative arrangements for the weeks after that. I hope that before today is out every Senator will have the business for next week and a tentative order paper for the week after. We are taking Item No. 1 today with no change in the Order of Business.
Senator Norris has moved an amendment to the Order of Business. "That Item No. 58 on the supplementary list be inserted before Item No. 1." Is the amendment being pressed?
Yes.
The question is "That the amendment be made".
Question put.
Senators
Votáil.
Will Senators who are claiming a division on the Order of Business please rise?
Five Senators stood.
The division will proceed.
The Seanad divided: Tá, 5; Níl, 23.
Tá
- Harte, John.
- Norris, David.
- Ryan, Brendan.
- Ryan, John.
- Upton, Pat.
Níl
- Bohan, Eddie.
- Byrne, Sean.
- Cassidy, Donie.
- Conroy, Richard.
- Dardis, John.
- Finneran, Michael.
- Fitzgerald, Tom.
- Foley, Denis.
- Honan, Tras.
- Hussey, Thomas.
- Keogh, Helen.
- Kiely, Rory.
- Lanigan, Michael.
- McCarthy, Seán.
- McGowan, Paddy.
- McKenna, Tony.
- Mooney, Paschal.
- Mullooly, Brian.
- Ó Cuív, Eamon.
- O'Donovan, Denis A.
- O'Keeffe, Batt.
- Ryan, Eoin David.
- Wright, G. V.
Tellers: Tá, Senators Norris and B. Ryan; Níl, Senators McGowan and Wright.
Question declared lost.
Order of Business agreed to.
On the Order of Business, we have had to listen to a lot of pious platitudes about the procedure in the House and about the waste of time here——
The Order of Business has been agreed. We cannot go over that ground again.
I will not obstruct the House or refuse to respond to the Chair's ruling but it is about time we stopped this acting.
I am calling Item No. 1.