I said on the Order of Business that I would review progress and in that regard I am proposing an amendment to the Order of Business that on completion of Committee Stage, given the possibility of amendments being tabled on Report Stage, the House will suspend for 30 minutes to allow matters to proceed in an orderly manner.
Business of Seanad.
On a point of order, is the Leader proposing that Report Stage be taken after the 30 minute sos? My understanding is that the Bills Office will not be in a position to publish the Bill as amended. Perhaps the Leader will clarify that matter. Is the Leader suggesting a half hour break following which it is proposed to take Report Stage?
My information is that if the Government amendments are accepted, the Bill will have to be reprinted and will not be available this evening.
The Government has tabled amendments and it will not, therefore, be possible to take Report Stage tonight——
No.
——because the Bills Office will not be in a position to publish it.
If the Government amendments are accepted.
The Government has tabled amendments to the Bill, as has Fine Gael. If the amendments are accepted by the House it will not be possible to take Report Stage tonight.
We can review the matter on completion of Committee Stage.
That shows the nonsense of trying to push everything through.
On a point of order, is the Leader saying Report Stage will be taken tonight?
The Government is not prepared to face up to reality.
If there are amendments for Report Stage——
There will be.
——-it is cut and dry the Bill, as amended, will not be published tonight.
This is playing games. On a point of order, we know the Government has tabled amendments to the Bill.
I cannot judge that at this point. I am saying that if amendments are accepted, the Bill will have to be reprinted.
The Government has tabled amendments. Why are we playing games?
Can the Leader explain to the House why it is possible to have a half hour sos——
The Cathaoirleach is judging us on this side of the House.
I am not judging anyone.
——between the end of Committee Stage and the commencement of Report Stage and not to have a sos in order that proper amendments can be tabled on Committee Stage?
For the information of the House——
This is treating the House with absolute contempt. I have been a Member of this House for 21 years and I have never experienced anything like it in my entire political career.
Senators
Hear, hear.
(Interruptions).
This is the greatest joke.
As in regard to the economy, the Government is not facing up to the reality of what it is doing.
We are moving on to Committee Stage of the Enforcement of Court Orders (Amendment) Bill 2009.
I called for a manual vote.
I did not hear the Senator call for a manual vote.
He did.
Who called for a manual vote?
Senator David Norris. He stood up and made a speech.
Senator Norris referred to that earlier.
He called for a manual vote during the course of the vote by electronic means. It must be called.
The result has been announced and we must move on.
Senator Norris called for a manual vote.
We must move on. On a point of clarification, four lists of amendments have been circulated. I ask Members to ensure they have them.
This is typical of the chaos. It is impossible to follow the amendments which include amendment 1, 1a and a1. Nobody has the slightest clue what is going on.
A list of all the amendments has been circulated.