There is very little prospect of getting the Second Stage of this Bill through to-night, and I suppose we shall have to sit on Friday, as I think the Labour Party want an adjournment debate. In that event, would it suit the Minister's convenience to adjourn this Bill until Friday morning?
Pigs and Bacon (Amendment) Bill, 1938—Second Stage.
Question proposed: "That the Bill be read a Second Time."
So far as this Bill is concerned, I think that there is no necessity for discussion unless the Deputy wants to deal with the bacon business generally.
I do not think that it will pass non-contentiously.
Perhaps I shall be permitted to explain the position in a few words. A few months ago, I indicated that I was having the position of the pig and bacon industry examined and that, as a result of that investigation, I proposed to bring further legislation before the Dáil. That legislation is not ready but I expect that it will be brought before the Dáil in the spring. Almost inevitably, part of the new recommendations will deal with a change in the constitution of the two boards. Whether it will result in the establishment of one board or not, I do not know, but there is certain to be a change. Under the present law, the boards are due to be elected in December and January—the last day of December, in the case of the pigs board, and the 10th January in the case of the bacon board. This Bill is designed merely to avoid the necessity for that election and to enable the boards to carry on until we make the necessary changes. That is all this Bill does.
This is a proposal to continue the Bacon and Pigs Marketing Boards in existence. I do not think that that is a proposition which ought to receive the support of this House, and I am prepared to divide the House on it. I might expound my reasons at some length but, in view of the Minister's statement that it is his intention to introduce permanent legislation, more extensive observations might be reserved for the Second Reading of that Bill. Accordingly, we shall divide on the Second Stage of the Bill which the Minister proposes should now be read a Second Time.
I should like Deputies to realise that the effect of rejecting this Bill would be that the boards would continue in existence but that we should have to hold an election.
We could kick off the fellows who are there already.
Does the Minister expect to get all the stages of the Bill now?
I want all the stages before Christmas.
Question put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 71; Níl, 26.
Tá
- Aiken, Frank.
- Bartley, Gerald.
- Beegan, Patrick.
- Boland, Gerald.
- Bourke, Dan.
- Brady, Brian.
- Brady, Seán.
- Breen, Daniel.
- Brennan, Martin.
- Breslin, Cormac.
- Briscoe, Robert
- Buckley, Seán.
- Childers, Erskine H.
- Cleary, Mícheál.
- Cogan, Patrick.
- Cooney, Eamonn.
- Corish, Richard.
- Corry, Martin J.
- Crowley, Tadhg.
- Derrig, Thomas.
- De Valera, Eamon.
- Dowdall, Thomas P.
- Everett, James.
- Flinn, Hugo V.
- Flynn, Stephen.
- Murphy, Timothy J.
- O Briain, Donnchadh.
- O Ceallaigh, Seán T.
- O'Grady, Seán.
- O'Loghlen, Peter J.
- O'Reilly, Matthew.
- O'Rourke, Daniel.
- O'Sullivan, Ted.
- Pattison, James P.
- Rice, Brigid M.
- Ruttledge, Patrick J.
- Fogarty, Patrick J.
- Friel, John.
- Fuller, Stephen.
- Gorry, Patrick J.
- Hannigan, Joseph.
- Harris, Thomas.
- Hickey, James.
- Hogan, Daniel.
- Humphreys, Francis.
- Hurley, Jeremiah.
- Kelly, Thomas.
- Kennedy, Michael J.
- Keyes, Michael.
- Killilea, Mark.
- Kissane, Eamon.
- Lemass, Seán F.
- Loughman, Francis.
- Lynch, James B.
- MacEntee, Seán.
- Maguire, Ben.
- Meaney, Cornelius.
- Moran, Michael.
- Morrissey, Michael.
- Mullen, Thomas.
- Munnelly, John.
- Ryan, James.
- Ryan, Martin.
- Ryan, Robert.
- Sheridan, Michael.
- Smith, Patrick.
- Traynor, Oscar.
- Tubridy, Seán.
- Walsh, Laurence J.
- Walsh, Richard.
- Walsh, Conn.
Níl
- Belton, Patrick.
- Benson, Ernest E.
- Brasier, Brooke.
- Brodrick, Seán.
- Byrne, Alfred (Junior).
- Coburn, James.
- Cole, John J.
- Cosgrave, William T.
- Costello, John A.
- Dillon, James M.
- Doyle, Peadar S.
- Esmonde, John L.
- Fitzgerald-Kenney, James.
- Giles, Patrick.
- Hughes, James.
- Keating, John.
- Linehan, Timothy.
- McGovern, Patrick.
- McMenamin, Daniel.
- Mulcahy, Richard.
- Nally, Martin.
- O'Higgins, Thomas F.
- O'Neill, Eamonn.
- O'Sullivan, John M.
- Reidy, James.
- Ryan, Jeremiah.
Tellers:—Tá: Deputies Little and Smith; Níl: Deputies Doyle and Nally.
Question declared carried.
When is it proposed to take the Committee Stage?
If there is no objection, I suggest we might take it now.
I take it that the Minister must have this legislation before Christmas?
Yes.
Very well.
Committee Stage to be taken now.