It is proposed to take items No. 7 (Supplementary Estimates—Stationery and Printing); No. 8 (Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Bill, 1935), and No. 9 (Supplementary and Additional Estimates) omitting items No. 33 (Gárda Síochána); No. 38, (Circuit Court); No. 74 (Repayments to the Contingency Fund) and No. 2 (Oircachtas). Then we will take up item No. 6 (Financial Motions by the Minister for Finance), and No. 10 (Pigs and Bacon Bill, 1934); Public Business to be interrupted at 9 o'clock to take Private Deputies' business.
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business I desire to object to the Pigs and Bacon Bill being taken this week. When we consented to this Bill being put on the Order Paper for to-day we expected to see the Bill that evening but the Bill did not reach me until Saturday morning. That Bill consists of 153 sections. Now I submit it is absolutely impossible to give to a Bill of that magnitude the consideration which it deserves and to be in a position to debate it in this House within three days of the Bill being circulated. I submit that the Bill should be postponed for at least a fortnight, when the Second Stage can be taken. Then the parties interested can be consulted and Deputies can give adequate study to the principles underlying the Bill and its general context.
If the matter arises to-day the Deputy might repeat his protest.
Will the Minister give any undertaking on that matter? I think he will recognise the absurdity of asking the House to discuss intelligently a Bill of 153 sections within three days of its being circulated.
Perhaps the Deputy would not mind raising this question again when the matter is reached on the agenda.
Surely it is very inconsiderate to leave the House in any doubt as to whether the Bill is to be taken this week. That is a matter on which at least we should have a definite statement from the Minister.
I do not myself wish to take the Bill this week.
Do I understand the Minister to say that he is prepared to postpone this Bill until next week?
Dr. Ryan
Yes.
Including the Financial Motion?
Dr. Ryan
Yes.