Today's Order of Business is item 1. Spokespersons will have 30 minutes and other Senators will have 20 minutes. Members may share time. Business will be interrupted from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Order of Business.
The Order of Business is agreed. In accordance with the Leader's letter this week, if I do not have anything to say, I will not say anything.
That is a model student if ever I saw one.
The Order of Business is agreed. In the absence of the Independent spokesperson on agriculture, I will agree to 30 minutes for him.
The previous speakers have been the essence of brevity and it would be a shame if I followed suit.
That would not happen.
It would be a surprise.
Will the Leader indicate the position regarding a visit by Senators to St. Ita's Hospital, Portrane? I raised this matter yesterday but he overlooked it in his reply.
Has the Leader made any progress regarding the work plan for the House in the coming weeks which Senator Manning mentioned some time ago? Many issues have been raised and I agree there should be debates on industrial relations, local government and other matters.
I thank Senator Manning and Senator Henry for their brevity. Regarding Senator Costello's first point, I have requested a visit by Senators to St. Ita's Hospital and I await a reply.
Regarding the work plan, the Seanad will deal with 15 Bills this session. These include the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Bill, the Local Government Funding Bill, the Referendum Bill, the Finance Bill, the Investor Compensation Bill, the Geneva Convention (Amendment) Bill, the Amendment to the Constitution (IGC) Bill, the Adoption (No. 2) Bill, which lapsed in the previous Seanad; the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Bill, the Children's Bill, the Juvenile Justice Bill, the Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Bill, the Solicitors (Amendment) Bill, the Oil Pollution of the Sea (Civil Liberty and Compensation) (Amendment) Bill, the Gas (Amendment) Bill and the Social Welfare Bill. This is the schedule of Bills the Government proposes to publish this session.
Order of Business agreed to.