had the following Amendment to Order 10:—"Before the word `Tuesdays' to insert the word `Mondays,' and in the fourth line, instead of 8.30 o'clock, to substitute 8 o'clock."
REPORT OF STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. - ORDER 10.
I suggest to the Dáil before "Tuesday" we put in "Mondays" as well. I do that realising the absence of the change that has been made by the elimination of "Monday," for this reason that between now and December 6th, this Dáil will, of necessity, he engaged very considerably on the Constitution, and I think the elimination of Monday would probably bring about a danger of closure being adopted in respect of the Constitution, which I think will be a calamity. Also for another reason; it is frequently the habit that Ministers, either on their own motion or at the request of members, set aside a day for the discussion of a question. We have to-morrow, for example, set aside by the Minister of Defence, and the following day is set aside for a discussion of matters by the Minister of Home Affairs. This order, as it stands, would mean that, for the discussion of such a matter, one quarter of the time at the disposal of the Dáil would be taken. It is not easy to say whether it is going to sit three or four hours. Generally a day is set aside, so that really an extension of hours does not effect the same purpose. I think you will require every moment of time. It would be very desirable, I know, to have one extra day's holiday, and I am sure it is not a popular suggestion to say we should do without it. But I think between now and the whole of this Session we may require every moment of time for the consideration of the Constitution, and it should be worth it, and therefore I propose we restore Monday as it was in the first draft.
I second the amendment.
I beg to point out that it was owing to the sense of the House, obtained one evening last week, that the Committee of Standing Orders adopted No. 10 in the form it now stands. Deputies will notice that the hours now are from 3 until 8.30 p.m., as against 2.30 to 7 p.m. when Monday was included, so that it works out the Dáil will have at its disposal practically the same number of working hours per week.
Amendment put and lost.
Order 10 therefore stands as in the draft.