I want a debate. I think it is the right of Deputies to debate this matter in this House.
Return to Writs: Donegal-Leitrim and South County Dublin. - Business of Dáil.
I propose to raise on the Adjournment, with your permission, the subject matter of my Private Notice Question to the Taoiseach.
The Deputy has already given me notice of that.
With all due respect to Deputy Cosgrave—I know there will be a majority against this—this cannot be adequately dealt with in a 20-minute contribution.
We know that.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
I would point out to the House here and now that everybody in the State should know exactly what is implied in the threat by the Taoiseach to open the internment camps.
Scandalous. It does not suit the Deputy.
(Interruptions.)
Section 4——
The Deputy is being disorderly and he knows it.
Sir, I have the greatest respect for the Chair but, again, I question your discretion in this matter——
Deputies
Hear, hear.
——and what I want the public to know——
The Chair has ruled on the Standing Order.
——is the power that is vested in every single one of those Ministers over there if the Taoiseach decides to bring in Part II of the Offences Against the State Act.
The Deputy may not discuss the matter.
Any Minister will be able to sign a warrant for the internment of any citizen in this country without consultation with anybody else and I do not believe that powers like that——
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
——should be given to the Government——
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
——without a proper debate in this House.
The Deputy has been invoking Standing Orders. Why does he not obey them?
This is a matter of urgent public importance.
Because there was not a valid reason given by you as to why you should not allow this particular debate. Whether or not you are dictated to by the Taoiseach as to whether or not we will have a debate I do not know. We had the arms trial.
The Order of Business has not yet been put.
There is no such procedure.
I believe this is just as important as No. 4 and should be debated here in this House. May I quote section 4 of the Offences Against the State Act.
No. 22.
This is something which has not been referred to by the Taoiseach and has not been given any publicity in the Press. Section 4 of the Offences Against the State Act provides:
Whenever a Minister of State is of opinion that any particular person is engaged in activities which——
I will suspend the sitting——
—
in his opinion, are prejudicial to the preservation of public peace and order or to the security of the State——
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
Listen to this:
such Minister may by warrant under his hand——
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
—
and sealed with his official seal order the arrest——
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
—
and detention of such person under this section.
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
I suspend the sitting until five o'clock.
Sitting suspended at 4.40 p.m. unfit 5 p.m.
No. 22. Finance (No. 2) Bill, 1970: Second Stage.
On a point of order, with regard to the motion that was given to you, Sir, and signed by all the members of the Labour Party, I should like to make the following comment: during a long period in this Parliament I have always shown as much respect for the Chair as any other Member. It is not my intention to abuse the privileges of Parliament but I feel so strongly about the motion the Labour Party put before you today that I must insist, if I can, that this House be given time to debate the statement issued by the Government last Friday in which they threatened to introduce Part II of the Offences Against the State Act. I trust that in the interval you, Sir, and the Taoiseach have had time to think about the matter and that you have changed your minds with regard to having an immediate debate. It was not my intention——
It is not a matter for the Chair whether there should be an immediate debate. That is a matter for the Government.
With due respect, Sir, in accordance with Standing Order 29, you had discretion to decide whether there would be an adjournment debate on the subject matter of the motion we are discussing. It was not my intention, nor is it my intention, to talk about the merits or demerits of the Offences Against the State Act but merely the merits of the motion that was put before you. I wish to submit, because of the seriousness of the Government statement of last Friday, that Members of the House—the Parliament of the 26 Counties—should be given an opportunity to make their contributions, whether they be for or against the implementation of Part II of the Offences Against the State Act——
I have already given careful consideration——
I believe this is denial——
The Deputy is being deliberately disorderly. I have considered carefully the motion in the names of Deputy Corish and other members of the Labour Party and I have ruled it out of order because it does not conform to Standing Order 29. Furthermore, I would inform the Deputy that there can be no discussion here on my decision.
The Chair has accused me of being deliberately disorderly and I resent that. I would accuse the Chair and the Government of an abuse of the privileges of Members of this Parliament——
Deputies
Hear, hear.
The Deputy is being deliberately disorderly.
Since last May there has been much talk with regard to the unsustained accusations Deputy Lynch made against Deputies Boland, Haughey and Blaney.
The Deputy is completely out of order.
I want to make the people of the country and Members of this House who may not have read through the Offences Against the State Act aware of the implications of this proposal by the Government.
I am calling No. 22: Finance (No. 2) Bill, 1970: Second Stage (resumed).
Section 4 of the Act gives power to every single Minister to act as he wishes——
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
I am very slow to name the Leader of any party in this House but if the Deputy does not conform to Standing Orders I will have no alternative but to ask the Minister to name Deputy Corish.
This is a deliberate effort to stifle the liberty of this Parliament.
I would ask the Deputy to resume his seat.
Where is the Taoiseach hiding now?
Order. I am calling Deputy Fitzpatrick to resume on the Finance Bill.
We want to have a debate on the Government's proposal.
I am asking the Ceann Comhairle to make a decision that there be a debate on the motion we have submitted.
I have already told the Deputy that it is not a matter for the Chair whether there should be an immediate debate. I have asked Deputy Fitzpatrick to resume on the Finance Bill.
If Deputy Fitzpatrick does not offer, I shall.
(Cavan): On a point of order, I have been asked to resume on the Finance Bill, 1970 and I am quite prepared to resume when there is order.
I have asked the Deputy several times to resume on the Finance Bill.
The Labour Party regard the matter as one of urgent public importance. It appears that the Taoiseach does not understand the significance of the statement he made last Friday.
Deputies
Chair, Chair.
In view of the Deputy's disorderly conduct, I would ask the Minister to name the Leader of the Labour Party.
Where is the Taoiseach now?
Has he gone to sign the order?