The amendment down by Deputy Belton is equivalent to deleting the section, and under Standing Orders that is not permissible. The Deputy can criticise the sub-sections with which his amendment deals by opposing the adoption of the section when we come to put it. In the first place, however, we have to deal with the other amendments.
SECTION 104.
(1) The Board may, whenever and so often as they think it proper so to do, by order (in this Part of this Act referred to as a cold-storage order) do the following things, that is to say:—
(a) declare that of the total amount of bacon produced in all licensed premises during any specified period a specified percentage shall be the appointed national percentage in respect of such period;
(b) require every licensee in respect of particular premises to put, before the expiration of such period, from such premises into a cold store, a percentage of the bacon produced in such premises during such period equal to such appointed national percentage.
(2) The Board may by order at any time revoke or amend a cold-storage order.
(3) Every cold-storage order shall be published in theIris Oifigiúil as soon as may be after it is made.
(4) If the licensee in respect of any premises fails or neglects to comply with the obligations imposed on him in relation to such premises by a cold-storage order, such licensee shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine calculated at the rate of ten shillings for every hundredweight by which the amount of bacon put, during the period to which such cold-storage order relates, from such premises into a cold store falls short of the quantity of bacon required by such cold-storage order to be put during such period from such premises into a cold store.
I plead ignorance——
On a point of order, have you ruled amendment No. 92 out of order ?
Yes.
I submit that amendment No. 93 should be called.
I want to seek information.
Are you raising a point of order ?
Partly. I want information from the Committee as to the fate of my amendments which were, with what I consider very bad taste, disposed of in my absence yesterday evening. At the time, I was engaged on public duty in the Chamber. We have tried at this Committee to facilitate everybody as much as possible. We came here to a meeting in the early morning and we found that we could not proceed. Without more ado we adjourned. Another morning would suit everybody but Deputy Dillon and Deputy McGilligan, and we adjourned to a time that would suit them, even though it would inconvenience other Deputies. We have done that to facilitate Deputies who have not attended one meeting of this Committee. After the discussion we had on the principle of my amendments yesterday, I pressed for time to consider the matter. I hope I am in order.
I am afraid I am more responsible for the fault you are finding with the Committee than anybody else. We had reached a certain point with reference to your proposals in Part V of the Bill. To leave over these amendments, discuss another part of the Bill and then return to that part would be a very confusing method of doing business. Therefore, I asked for a decision on your amendments, notwithstanding that the Committee felt it was a great loss you were not here. We felt that, if you had been here to pursue the matter and make a final appeal on the question, it would have been much better, but we had to deal with the amendments in the circumstances that existed. I was more blameworthy than anybody else in this connection.
As a result of the discussion that took place when Deputy Belton was present, we felt that the Minister had gone a considerable way to meet him on some of the amendments. We thought that there was not much to be gained by further discussion of them. There was no intimation from the Deputy that he wanted us to postpone the amendments or that he would be here at a later stage. If there had been, I am sure we would have endeavoured to meet him.
I thought I made it clear——
On a point of order, I submit that the Committee is running amok. What are we discussing ? Are we discussing the Bill ?
I am here in the interests of the producers. I am not a bacon curer——
I submit that this is out of order.
I am afraid that Deputy Belton cannot pursue the matter further now.
I was the victim of circumstances yesterday evening. I moved the adjournment of the debate on the Local Government Vote and I had to watch the resumption. I was actually resuming the debate when you started here.
I understand, but I have explained that we had to force a conclusion on the amendments without your presence. You will understand that the Committee has to keep its proceedings somewhat regular. If we left that part of the Bill, went on to discuss something else, and then returned to it, we should have a very confusing state of things. I asked the Committee to come to a decision simply for the purpose of keeping the discussion regular. The Deputy will have to be satisfied with that decision. I am sorry he was disappointed.
I shall raise the whole matter in the House when the Bill comes up there.
Minister for Agriculture
Do amendments Nos. 94 and 96 not cover amendments Nos. 93 and 95 ?
My difficulty is to see the exact meaning of the words to be inserted. Is amendment No. 94 designed to meet what I seek in amendments Nos. 93 and 95 ?
Minister for Agriculture
Yes.
And these amendments do, in fact, meet it.
Minister for Agriculture
Cold storage is based on home-sales.
Amendment No. 93 not moved.
Minister for Agriculture
I move amendment No. 94:—
In sub-section (1), paragraph (a), page 48, line 63, to insert after the word " period " the following:—" (other than bacon produced in and exported from such licensed premises during such period)."
Amendment agreed to.
Amendment No. 95 not moved.
Amendment No. 96 is consequential on amendment No. 94.
Amendment No 96 not moved.
I move amendment No. 97:—
In sub-section (1), after paragraph (b), to insert a new paragraph as follows:—
where a cold storage order under this sub-section operates to compel a small curer to cold store less than 20 cwts. of bacon such order shall be deemed to have no effect in so far as it applies to such small curer.
This amendment is designed to prevent a situation arising in which a very small curer might be required, owing to the percentage distribution of the cold storage order, to put one side of bacon into cold store.
Minister for Agriculture
We shall bring in an amendment on Report to cover that contingency.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Amendment 98 not moved.
Section 104, as amended, agreed to.