It is proposed to take Business as on the Order Paper, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10. Private Deputies' Business will be taken at 9 p.m.
Order of Business.
When will time be made available to discuss the question in regard to food prices? I understood the time was to be made available.
To-morrow.
At what time to-morrow?
After questions to-morrow.
What is the arrangement?
The Deputy had better consult the Whips. The Deputy is also a member of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
The matter has not been communicated to me and it was open to the Chief Whip to do so.
Is it motion No. 2 or motion No. 3 that is to be taken to-night in Private Members' Time?
An arrangement has been announced for the settlement of business in this House to-morrow, to which the Minister for Local Government and Public Health states it is the intention of the Government to adhere. Would the responsible Minister on behalf of the Government state what that arrangement was, so that Deputies may know? If an arrangement has been made, and is to be adhered to, we have a right to know what it is.
The arrangement is that the motion be taken after Question Time. The exact time to be allotted to it is a matter for further discussion.
We have been informed that the motion will be taken to-morrow, that the whole day to-morrow will be available for the discussion if necessary, and that if the discussion is concluded before 10 o'clock we can go on to Private Members' Time.
What motion will be taken this evening?
No. 1 on the Order Paper would seem to be the most appropriate. That is the usual custom.
At what time?
I am sorry, but my enunciation does not seem to be sufficiently clear this afternoon. I said 9 o'clock.
There are a few more things that are not very clear. We have been informed that No. 1 is likely to be taken and discussed at the same time.
I was interrupted when I attempted to announce the Order.
Not by me.
Not by Deputy Mulcahy. The subject matter of item No. 1 in Private Deputies' Business will obviously be covered by item No. 10 on the Order Paper—the Agricultural Credit Bill. Apparently it is not desired to duplicate the discussion and it is suggested that motion No. 1 could be discussed on the Second Stage of the Bill. After the Second Stage has been disposed of, motion No. 1 will be formally proposed and seconded without discussion and a decision might be given on the net point involved. I hope that is clear. The discussion will take place on the Second Stage of the Bill. As to what motion will be taken at 9 o'clock to-night, it was difficult to ascertain from the Deputies concerned what motion they were prepared to go on with, whether it was No. 2, 3, 4, or 5. The Chair does not yet know.
I am prepared to go on with No. 2.
Motion No. 2 then will be taken at 9 o'clock.
I should like to call the attention of the House to the fact that, during the holiday period we have just finished, no indication was given as to what business would come before the House, at least to Deputies from the country, until we reached the Dáil this morning. I say that making due allowance for the pressure of business during the period in which the Dáil is in session, it would be easy to order Government Business so that at least we might have two or three days' notice of what was to come before the Dáil. Even though a Bill has been circulated for some time, I think it is only fair we should have some indication beforehand of what the business is likely to be. Even in the case of the most humble committee throughout the country, a county council committee or otherwise, before it is due to meet adequate notice is given of what is likely to form the agenda. Here in the first assembly of the land, we are just stampeded a few short hours before we meet and before we have time to know what is going to happen. I would ask the Government to consider some departure from that in future so that we may have a chance of knowing what is likely to be discussed.
The Deputy is making an extraordinary proposal. It has always been the custom of the House to announce the business on the day on which the business is taken. Some time during the session, it is convenient to arrange the business in advance, but it has never been the custom to arrange the business during a Recess. So far as the Agricultural Credit Bill, which is the business to be taken, is concerned, it was circulated during the previous session and Deputies, and particularly the Leader of the third Opposition Party in the House, should be prepared to come here and discuss whatever business happens to be on the Order Paper.
We might at least get due notice.
We are not supposed to do the Deputy's business for him. He got three months' notice.