Vol. 18 No. 18
The following Message has been received from Dáil Eireann:—
Dáil Eireann has agreed to amendment No. 2, made by Seanad Eireann to the Public Assistance (Acquisition of Land) Bill, 1934; it has disagreed to amendment No. 1, to which the agreement of Seanad Eireann is desired.
I was the mover of amendment No. 1, with which the Dáil has now disagreed. I have not had sufficient notice of this disagreement to enable me to explore the possibility of an alternative amendment. For that reason, I ask the House to agree to the adjournment of this matter for a week. If the House does not feel disposed to do that, I shall have no alternative but to move that we insist upon our amendment.
I agree in principle with Senator Sir John Keane's amendment, but I do not think that it is applicable to this Bill. This is a Bill to provide sites for hospitals, which are badly needed throughout the country. Everybody must agree with that. The money is there and there is machinery for acquiring the site and, if Senator Sir John Keane's amendment is carried, possibly two or three years' delay will be caused by having to go to the courts. I do not think that that is desirable. I do not believe that any hardship will be inflicted on anybody by agreeing with the Dáil as regards this amendment. I do not always agree with the Dáil, but I do in this case. I ask the House not to insist on Senator Sir John Keane's amendment.
If we are to agree to adjourn consideration of these amendments we should have no further speeches.
I do not see why we should agree to adjourn consideration.
I should like to press for an adjournment. I had an alternative amendment on the paper when this matter was before us but, when the amendment by Senator Sir John Keane was passed, I withdraw it. Nobody wants to delay this Bill, and I can assure Senator O'Sullivan that his idea of legal delay is quite exaggerated. The whole matter could be settled in a week or two.
The only question before the House is whether we shall adjourn this question for a week or not.
Agreed: "To postpone consideration of the Message from the Dáil for a week."
