It is proposed to take business as set out on the Order Paper in the following order: No. 1 and No. 2. It is proposed to take Private Members' Motion No. 1 on the Order Paper in conjunction with No. 2. Questions will be taken at 2 p.m.
Order of Business.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he has any statement to make to Dáil Éireann in the light of the Government's decision to revive military courts?
Before going on to that, Sir, on the Order of Business, last night at 10.20 p.m. my motion on the differential rents and associated subjects concluded, and normally my motion on the abolition of ground rents should have been taken at that point. I was informed by the Chair that there were two Private Bills that had to take precedence. Apparently these Bills were not moved and in my absence—I was just outside the door— my motion was relegated to the bottom of the Order Paper. I should like to inquire if there is any redress, or if there are any steps I can take, whereby this very important motion dealing with the abolition of ground rents will be restored to its proper place, that is, as the current motion for discussion in Private Members' time.
There was no alteration in the usual procedure which was adopted. The Chair has no power to alter the usual procedure. If a Deputy is not in his seat to move a motion standing on the Order Paper in his name, that motion goes to the bottom of the list.
On the Order of Business, I should like some information from the Taoiseach in connection with No. 2 on the Order Paper. I understand that Motion No. 1 in the name of Deputy Dr. Browne and myself is to be considered in the course of this debate. Is it possible that that motion could be included in a formal way, embodied in a formal way for discussion?
What motion is the Deputy asking about?
Motion No. 1 dealing with proper health services. We feel that it would be desirable to have all the matters in connection with health services discussed together rather than have this motion coming up perhaps in three weeks' or a month's time. We are quite willing to agree to its being discussed today, provided it is recorded——
It is now understood that the subject matter of the motion in the names of Deputy Dr. Browne and Deputy McQuillan will be discussed in conjunction with the motion in the name of Deputy T. F. O'Higgins and the amendment by the Minister for Health.
I wanted to make that clear on the Order of Business. You did not mention that fact in the announcement of the Order of Business.
It was announced.
It is to be taken in conjunction with No. 2.
I am sorry.
Perhaps the Taoiseach would——
I take it the Deputy has given notice of his intention to ask a Private Notice Question?
I am inquiring if the Taoiseach proposes to make any statement to the House on the Government's decision to revive military courts.
The Deputy is giving notice of a question?
I gave the Chair notice that I proposed to raise the matter this morning. How does the Chair propose to dispose of it?
The Deputy can put down a Private Notice Question at Question Time.
Can the Taoiseach indicate the days of sitting next week?
Wednesday and Thursday.
Is it clear that so far as the health motions are concerned, there will be no insistence on a decision being reached today?
My opinion is that it would be desirable that a decision should be reached to-day. Of course there is no power in the Government to insist.
I should like to make it clear that my understanding was that some Government time would be provided for a discussion of Deputy O'Higgins's motion and the amendments set down thereto. So far as we are concerned, we are prepared to dispose of this motion and amendments to it under an arrangement which would provide all day for its discussion, subject to Questions, and a limited time for the proposer to reply to the motion, the decision to be taken today. Our view is that that would be a sensible and satisfactory arrangement in order to dispose of this business. That ought to be settled today or else we are liable to arrive at the end of the day with the motion hanging in the air and no decision taken.
If agreement could be reached to conclude at any fixed time, giving the proposer of the motion an opportunity of replying, it would certainly be acceptable to the Government.
Is there any possibility that we could sit tomorrow to dispose of this? I think the members, and especially the Taoiseach, must appreciate the issues which are involved in this amendment. As a Party, we do not believe there could be adequate discussion in approximately five hours. We are glad that the health motions are being discussed today. Might I say, incidentally, that yesterday I may have done the Parliamentary Secretary a wrong in that I may have appeared to give the House the impression that we were not informed that this motion was to be discussed. We were informed; I was informed and the Whip was informed that the motion would be discussed but there was no intimation that the Government or anybody else wanted a decision within a day. I would urge upon the Taoiseach to consider giving more Government time, if not next week, the week after. With respect, might I suggest that a discussion on this amendment is as important as, if not much more important than, some of the minor Bills we are discussing. They are necessary Bills, I agree, but the Taoiseach would do well to consider giving some extra Private Members' time next week or the week after so that this motion can be disposed of. We are as anxious as anybody to have it disposed of and to have the Committee which the Minister proposes set up as quickly as possible.
If it should prove impossible to conclude the debate on the motion today, I think I can say that the Government would wish to make arrangements to ensure it will conclude during the session, but I cannot undertake that time next week will be available.
Would it not be possible to sit after five o'clock this evening?
Not at short notice, when people have made arrangements.
We put a motion on the Order Paper and the Government have provided time for its discussion. We have agreed that the time provided is sufficient for discussion of the motion we set down. There are amendments to our motion but we are still of opinion that the motion could be satisfactorily disposed of in the time made available for it. If anybody else wants to put down another motion on this subject, he is quite free to do so, but surely if a motion is put down by this Party and the Government provide time which we agree is adequate for its discussion, that ought to settle the matter. We have made arrangements which we think are adequate to meet this situation and we want this motion disposed of today because we believe it can be and should be disposed of today. Anybody who wants to discuss another motion is quite free to do so.
We cannot carry on the business of the House at all if, having made arrangements through the ordinary channels, everything is to be turned upside down and our arrangements shattered when they come to be confirmed on the floor of the House. I am satisfied this motion can be disposed of today. I would not object to a proposal to go on until 6 o'clock, if that helps anybody, and leave half an hour for the proposer to conclude the debate. However, we ought to finish today and we ought not to sit until midnight.
If, under Standing Orders and the rules of the House, it is possible for the Leader of the Opposition to enter into an agreement with the Government on a time limit within which to dispose of a motion, we cannot object, but if it is our right to object, to say we want further time, I do not think anybody can take exception to it.
Deputy Corish will appreciate there is a Standing Order which limits the time for a Private Member's motion to three hours but the Government, in providing Government time and extra hours for the discussion of this motion, are in fact exceeding the requirements under the Standing Order.
I agree.
Why not accept that with a good grace?
I stood up to compliment the Minister for Health, but, in view of what he has said, I will not.
May I put this point to the Taoiseach? There are two motions on the Order Paper, one in the name of the Fine Gael Party and the other put down by Deputy Dr. Browne and myself. The total for Private Members' time, therefore, would be six hours and the Government, in giving five hours, are deducting one hour.
It is giving Government time.
But there are two motions going by the board.
I am quite prepared to drop Deputy McQuillan's motion out of today's discussion, if that is what he wants.
I would like your ruling on this, Sir. I would suggest the Government, having provided Government time, have no way of stopping the discussion unless they bring in a guillotine motion.
There is no question of that.
You can leave the motion hanging in the air and take no decision.
Unless we can get agreement, there can be no arrangement.
You have not got agreement.
No.