I move:—
That notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Standing Orders 79 (1) and 85, the Committee Stage and Report Stage of the Appropriation Bill, 1935, be taken to-day.
Public Business. - Suspension of Standing Orders.
I second.
I do not want to raise any objection to the motion but I think as there is no possibility of finishing the whole business this evening that we can adjourn consideration of it. If we did have to adjourn until to-morrow, I think it would be more businesslike to hold over the remaining stages of this Bill. If we are not sitting to-morrow, I have no objection to the motion.
I have no doubt that the Minister has got something to say regarding the necessity of this because it of course is a most out-of-the-way proposal. On reading the debates, in the Dáil, we thought we were going to have at least 21 days to consider all this financial business. Now we have had a week. I have no doubt that a number of Senators who are not here are of the opinion that this business would not be taken until next week. I should be glad if the Minister would tell us why this has to be done. I suppose he does not want it any more than anybody else.
This is Motion No. 3. The Senator will remember that on the last day it was suggested that we should adjourn. I understood that I was to be in the Dáil at 7.30 p.m. Senator Blythe, I think, suggested that if we adjourned the debate on the Second Reading we could conclude it to-day and take all the stages of the Appropriation Bill. This particular motion relates to one Bill and there is no possibility, I think, of any recommendation being made to it. None has been moved. I think this motion is down in fulfilment of what I think was an understanding on the last day in regard to the Appropriation Bill.
This is the first of a series of motions by Senator Robinson applying to other Bills as well as the Appropriation Bill.
I understand that they are rather anxious to get these Bills through to-day so that they may be brought up to the Dáil.
That is true in regard to the Finance Bill which is the next business to this. I do not know what has happened in the Dáil but I think they were hoping to adjourn this evening and if we had disposed of the Finance Bill by 6.30 o'clock or so I think the understanding was that the action of the Seanad in regard to it would be reported to the Dáil. I think they would deal with whatever had resulted from the discussion here. I do not know whether that arrangement was made or with whom in regard to the Finance Bill.
I agree with the Minister that there was an understanding on the last occasion to take the remaining stages of the Appropriation Bill on the next day on which we would sit. The reason I suggested adjourning it until to-morrow was that if we did not finish this evening there was no necessity to take it to-day. It could be taken to-morrow.
Undoubtedly it looks as if what the Minister is asking us to do is to suit the convenience of the Dáil. The Dáil, I think, want to adjourn to-night or to-morrow, and wish to dispose of all legislation in front of them so that they can go off. If we had not such a strange state of affairs in this country as exists in regard to this House one would hesitate a great deal to agree to a thing of this sort, because we are practically establishing a precedent that this House is to have seven days or so to consider the whole Budgetary position. After talking for three days, there is to be no further time for us to consider the other stages. I think it is for us to consider the position we are in. Is it any use for us here to consider anything as regards the future? I think if it was a positive certainty that this House was going to continue, that the Seanad was going to be here to take its part in the management of the country and the legislation of the country, it would be very wrong to allow a precedent to be established but, honestly, looking at the state of affairs as it exists, is it worth our while to interfere with the holidays of the Dáil and of the Government? The proposition certainly would have to be fought if things were not going to be as we are told they are going to be. I do not know whether this is the time for us to raise a debate on this question.
We should do our duty while here.
I am inclined to think that the Minister has told us really what the position is. I do not know that there is any use in saying "No" at the present time to what the Minister is asking us to do, but I do think it ought to be recorded that this state of affairs is not a thing which should be approved of by any Seanad which has regard to its duties in the future. There is no question at all that it should not be taken for granted that this is any precedent for another Seanad or our Seanad.
May I say that I should not like that Senator Jameson should go under a misapprehension. There are a great number of motions on the Order Paper to suspend Standing Orders in regard to a number of Bills, but in regard to this particular one I think the Senator ought to read columns 649 and 650 of the Official Reports, because he will see there what really is the genesis of the present motion. It was, I think, the result of an understanding which was arrived at here on last Wednesday, that if the debate on the Second Stage of the Bill were adjourned, this Bill being, as Senator Blythe pointed out, really a one-stage Bill, all stages would be taken to-day. That is all I have got to say so far as this particular motion is concerned. I think there would be a great deal more force in what Senator Jameson has just said if it had relation to motion No. 5, but I do not think it has very much substance in regard to motion No. 3 on the Order Paper.
There was an understanding last week that the Bill would go through this week or to-day. I should like to say this before we decide to pass this motion, that we should be sure whether or not we are going to meet to-morrow, because on this particular Bill the discussion that we have had has been very striking. This particular Bill passed through the other House without a word of comment, criticism or consideration. Certainly the Minister in his reply to-day has said things and has left things unsaid which I think call for some considered rejoinder, and if we are going to meet again to-morrow I think this Bill should be held over until then.
Question put and declared carried.