I beg to move the Second Reading of this Bill, the provisions of which I explained on a former occasion. The Bill aims at putting an end to an abuse that has existed in Dublin city and the Townships for some years. By agreement between the employers and the operatives engaged in this small business that abuse was stopped. This Bill provides that the shops in this trade will be closed to customers on Sunday mornings. I think Senators will agree that there is nothing contentious in the Bill.
SHOP HOURS (BARBERS AND HAIRDRESSERS, DUBLIN AND DISTRICTS) BILL, 1925—SECOND STAGE.
I second.
I have no brief on the part of the Government to speak for or against this Bill. Two Bills of this sort dealing with the drapery trade have come before the Oireachtas already, and I want to put it to the Seanad that it is an abuse of the Oireachtas to bring in measures here affecting, as Senator Farren said, five barbers' shops in Dublin. If we are going to have legislation of that sort put through all stages the Oireachtas will be overwhelmed with such legislation, and there will be no time to pay attention to the grave matters that should claim the attention of the Oireachtas. I would like to suggest, before a Second Reading is given to this Bill, that it is an abuse of the Oireachtas to have measures of this sort introduced in this way.
In reply to the Minister's remarks if he will undertake that a comprehensive measure dealing with the whole question of shop hours will be introduced by the Government I will withdraw this Bill. If the Government are not prepared to face the situation, and introduce a comprehensive measure, there is no other way of dealing with it, except by piece-meal measures of this kind.
I met deputations with regard to the Shop Hours Act and with regard to the Shops Acts generally, and I indicated that there is a desire on the part of the departments concerned to have all these matters taken and put into one general code. We have indicated that until the mass of legislation required for more important things is cleared off, we do not see any time for legislative measures of this kind. Undoubtedly the matter will have to be attended to. I do not want to make a promise that cannot be fulfilled in a reasonable time, but, apart from that, I suggest it is better to postpone this Bill which deals with five barbers' shops in Dublin.
Question put—"That the Bill be read a Second Time."
The Seanad divided. Tá, 7; Níl, 18.
Tá
- W. Cummins.
- M. Duffy.
- M. Fanning.
- T. Farren.
- T. Foran.
- Sir J. Griffith.
- A. Jackson.
Níl
- Sir E. Bellingham.
- Sir E.C. Bigger.
- Mrs. Costello.
- J.C. Counihan.
- Countess of Desart.
- J. Dillon.
- Sir N. Everard.
- Sir J. Keane.
- C. Kennedy.
- P.W. Kenny.
- T. Linehan.
- F. MacGuinness.
- Col. Moore.
- J. Moran.
- J. O'Connor.
- B. O'Rourke.
- Mrs. Wyse-Power.
- W.B. Yeats.
Question declared lost.