I have to acquaint the House that I have received notice in writing from two-fifths of the members of Dáil Eireann requiring that the question whether or not the Land Purchase (Guarantee Fund) Bill, 1935, is a Money Bill shall be referred to a Committee of Privileges. Will the President say at what hour he proposes to take the necessary steps?
Land Purchase (Guarantee Fund) Bill, 1935—Motion to Appoint Committee of Privileges.
I propose to take it at half-past eleven. There is a motion I wish to hand to the Chair now.
Half-past eleven. We shall now take item No. 5 on the Order Paper.
If the President has any objection to the terms of the motion handed to the Chair by two-fifths of the members of Dáil Eireann, perhaps he will indicate it now.
The President has now handed me a motion: "That Deputies Conor A. Maguire, James Geoghegan and William Norton be elected to a Committee of Privileges to whom is referred the question whether or not the Land Purchase (Guarantee Fund) Bill, 1935, is a Money Bill."
Can the Ceann Comhairle say in what form he would take an amendment to that motion if it were desired?
To substitute other names, or to alter the number.
Would it be to delete one name and add another, or to delete the three and substitute three?
Yes. Either amendment might be moved. As the House is aware, there is no precedent in this matter. There is nothing to guide the Chair.
That is why I asked the question.
The Deputy is quite in order. Article 35, I think, indicates a number to be elected—that, in my view, is en bloc. I will accept amendments that other names be substituted. I would meet the wishes of the House as to whether they should be taken en bloc or singly. The question would be that the names stand. The motion and amendments will be debated together.
It would help us in the matter of considering amendments if we can be told now whether the President has got the consent of the three Deputies mentioned in his motion to sit on the group so constituted.
Naturally, when proposing a set of names I have to ask the Deputies concerned whether they are willing to act on such a committee.
It would help us also if we could know whether Deputy Norton agrees that no person representing the Opposition Party should be nominated.
That is a matter that would more properly arise when the motion comes before the House.
Will the Ceann Comhairle say whether he would take an amendment subsequent to the opening of the discussion, or must any amendment be sent in before the discussion starts?
I think that, owing to the urgency of the matter, it would be desirable to have all amendments tabled before the discussion starts. There is no difficulty in submitting amendments within the next hour.
Particularly on the part of the people who started this thing.
In the event of a long discussion——
Not an acrimonious discussion, it is to be hoped.
We hope not, but in the event of a long discussion, does that mean there will be no time left for discussing other questions on the motion for the adjournment, or is it proposed to sit late?
That is a matter the Deputy should have satisfied himself on before he put his name to that petition.