Leave is being asked to introduce two Bills to-day which do not appear on the Order Paper. One is a Bill to amend the Housing (Building Facilities) Act, 1924.
NEW BILLS.
On a point of order—I do not know whether it is strictly a point of order, to be quite candid—the President promised yesterday to let us know what is the procedure that is likely to be adopted in regard to the Local Government Bill. I think we could do with that information—if he would let us know what he proposes in regard to that Bill.
I intend to take the Local Government Bill as the first business to-day, but I move now that the order be discharged and ask for permission to introduce a new Local Government Bill, to take the Second Reading of it on Tuesday next, and the Third Reading on Tuesday week, if that would be in order, Sir.
Quite.
Yesterday evening Deputy Johnson made a proposal to the effect that the recent Local Government Bill to which quite a number of Government amendments and amendments coming from this side of the House have been put down, should appear as a new Bill, so that the amendments to the original Bill could be all considered together. I believe that that will considerably facilitate Deputies in considering the measure, and I have accordingly agreed to introduce it in the form that Deputy Johnson has suggested, on condition, of course, that the Dáil is willing to agree to Deputy Johnson's other proviso, namely that the First and Second Stages will be agreed. That will put me in a position very little worse than I am in at the present time. We have had the First and Second Stages and the only difference will be that the Third Stage will come on a week or so later than if we were to take it straight away, as I am entitled to do under Standing Orders. So I expect that Deputies will agree to let the First and Second Stages go ahead without any debate. My only reason for not agreeing immediately to Deputy Johnson's suggestion was that in this Bill I am more or less running against time. When I introduced the new Election Bill last Session, Deputies pressed me to fix the date of the local elections on the 15th January. I was very reluctant to concede that point because I foresaw possible delays and this Bill will have to be got through very quickly in order to enable the elections to be held on the 15th January, but I expect Deputies will assist me in getting the Bill through as soon as possible, as I have facilitated them.
I do not know exactly what Deputy Johnson had in mind yesterday when he made the original proposal. I make bold to doubt on his behalf—in any case I suggest a doubt on my own—whether he meant exactly, and I certainly did not understand him to mean, what the Minister has now stated. That the Second Reading should be accorded without division is one thing; that the Second Reading should be accorded without debate on such of the new proposals as have been introduced in the new amendments in the reframed Bill, is rather stretching the matter.
My suggestion, so far as that portion of the Minister's statement goes, is quite well interpreted by him. I thought that the introduction of a considerable number of Government amendments would radically alter the Bill, each amendment requiring consideration and debate. Then so large a number would have been embodied in the Bill that it would certainly have to be recommitted, and if, as a matter of practice, the Bill were reintroduced with the amendments embodied, the House would agree—I assume at least on these benches we would agree—that the Second Reading would be taken without debate and that the new Bill would then be considered as in its Committee Stage. I think it will facilitate the Minister's purpose and it will not waste any time. I am not thereby to be understood as saying that the Bill will not require the fullest consideration and discussion. I think that a week's delay will not be a real delay in the Bill, and I can only say that as far as we are concerned here we will not attempt to discuss the Bill on Second Reading.
So far as I am concerned, Deputy Johnson and myself are in agreement on this matter. I do not know if any other Deputies interpret Deputy Johnson's view differently. If we are all agreed we will go on with the First Reading straight away.
I would like to ask the Minister whether the section in the old Bill with regard to the abolition of district councils will be deleted in the new one?
I move the discharge of the Order.
Order for Committee Stage of the Local Government Bill, 1924, discharged.