Is section 28 agreed?
SECTION 28.
We agreed at our first meeting that we would sit from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. I have planned my day on that basis. Am I faced with the prospect of running on beyond 7 o'clock? If so, I want to make appropriate plans.
We were talking about the minimum period being from 4 o'clock to 7 o'clock.
I do not mind——
I quite appreciate Deputy Flood's predicament which, I am sure is shared by many of us. We have now discussed a very large number of amendments which cover a large number of those sections. The discussion on them has been completed, between the last day and this day. Could we, as it were, push the various sections that are covered by them in order to get those sections passed? They will not entail further discussion.
(Interruptions.)
They have all been discussed already.
A Deputy
They have not.
I am only making the suggestion to try to expedite things.
For the benefit of the committee, there are no amendments to sections 28 and 29, so they will go through.
The fact that we have not put down amendments does not mean that we are not going to discuss them.
I am aware of that. Is it the intention to discuss those sections?
(Interruptions.)
The position, Deputy Barrett, is that we would have a minimum three hour session, from 4 o'clock to 7 o'clock. It was mentioned by Deputy Barrett that there may be some occasions on which you might be required for Private Members' Business, at which stage you could leave, or it could be subject to the agreement of the committee to go on. I am in the hands of the committee, but the point is, can we agree to go on to a certain time now and proceed? We did not cast it in stone until seven o'clock.
I think we should, for the convenience of everybody. Otherwise, you are going to have a situation where members will be going to Private Members' Business, or some other business, and people are going to have great difficulty planning any kind of a diary around the Bill. Subsequently it will be to the benefit or the disadvantage of either the Government or the Opposition to agree on a specified time.
The position is that we have discussed the Bill from four o'clock to a quarter past seven. As we go along we may be in a position to put a number of amendments between now and 7.30 p.m. I do not see why we should not try to do that and make progress until 7.30 p.m. and adjourn then.
For whose convenience is that? Somebody could decide at 7.30 p.m. that we should go on until 12.30 a.m.
I am not putting that proposal at all. That is mischievous. I am suggesting that we go on until 7.30 p.m. tonight. That is my proposal, subject to the agreement of the committee.
The trouble is that we have not got the minutes of the previous meeting. I am nearly certain that I made it clear that it should be seven o'clock.
I am suggesting that we may be in a position to deal with a number of sections. Is the committee agreeable to doing that?
Let us try it and we will see——
For the sake of consensus within the committee I do not think we should go on any further. Perhaps we could agree on section 28 and leave it at that? These are big sections.
There are no amendments.
That is not the point.
I know that is not the point, but if somebody felt really strongly about sections 28 and 29 one presumes there would have been amendments.
We normally hear the Minister's views and then we——
(Interruptions.)
I will give a brief description of the section.
I think the majority of the committee are unhappy about being asked to stay on beyond seven o'clock. That is obvious. Some of us might prefer to stay, but the majority of the committee do not want to stay on beyond seven o'clock and I do not think we should stay, in those circumstances. The majority should have their way.
I do not want to be awkward but I clearly understood, rightly or wrongly that it was seven o'clock and I have made arrangements accordingly.
Can we agree to section 28 for the purposes of this evening?
Section 28 agreed to.
I wish to give everybody as broad a say as possible but we all realise we have to make progress. Do not take me up wrongly. I have not interfered at all in the discussion.
The Minister acknowledged that we have got through a huge number of amendments in the last two days. We have not got through that many sections but we have got through a huge number of amendments and there are not that many amendments left to this Part of the Bill. In practice, we are making progress. I do not think we should sacrifice legitimate queries about individual sections.
Will we leave open the possibility that we sit for four hours next Tuesday, or at least that the possibility can be looked at at seven o'clock next Tuesday?
Is that agreed?
My suggestion is that we look at it at four o'clock next Tuesday. We should discuss at four o'clock whether we should sit until seven o'clock or eight o'clock and people can make arrangements then.
For the purpose of clarification is section 28 agreed?
Yes.
Progress reported; Committee to sit again.
The Committee adjourned at 7.20 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 December 1989.