Before the business is entered upon, may I make a suggestion? It is that we take the business as on the Order Paper from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock and that, after the adjournment for tea, we take the motion dealing with transport and endeavour to finish it to-night. If necessary, we could take up the Children's Allowances Bill again to-morrow and finish it. Would that suggestion meet with the approval of the House?
Business of Seanad.
I heard the Senator use the words "endeavour to finish". I do not know what he has in mind, but I should like to point out that a number of Senators desire to speak on the transport motion and, unless we were to sit late, I doubt that we could finish it.
It has been more or less agreed to take the transport motion on resuming after tea and finish it to-night. The Minister would find it very difficult to be here to-morrow. Senator Mulcahy has agreed to that course.
Considerable interest is being taken in this question and, if we were to adjourn at 9.30, a number of Senators might not have the opportunity of speaking on the motion. That would not be fair.
It is just possible that the Children's Allowances Bill will not be finished by the time we reach the tea interval. In that event, further time will have to be devoted to it to-morrow.
Could we not postpone the motion until next Wednesday?
The intention, I understand, is that we should not meet next week.
Is there any reason why we should not meet next week?
I do not know the reason but in any event the matter is one for the House.
The only reason is that many Senators have to come up from the country and, unless there was a really full, worth-while programme, it would hardly be fair to take them up. For instance, for a session of one evening here, I must spend three days away from home. That would, I think, apply to many other Senators. That is the only reason why we should not meet next week.
I think that we could, perhaps, solve this problem by going on with the Children's Allowances Bill and taking up the transport motion at 7 o'clock, seeing that the Minister cannot be here to-morrow. It is well-known that on Friday morning it is inconvenient for Ministers to attend here. The Minister would get an opportunity of speaking on the motion to-night and so would Senator Mulcahy and it would not be necessary to finish it to-night. Is not that the position?
There is no reason why we should not sit late to finish the motion but it is very unlikely that, when the time comes, Senators will insist on sitting late.
Is there any likelihood of our finishing, no matter how late we sit? I was about to make the suggestion which Senator Hayes has made—that the transport debate should be opened after the Children's Allowances Bill and that Senators interested in that motion should be satisfied with that until the next day the Seanad meets.
No arrangement we can make can compel Senators to finish the motion to-night. All we can do is agree to take the motion at 7 o'clock and do our best.
There is, then, the question of the resumption of the debate on the Children's Allowances Bill.
Could we not arrange to meet at a quarter to 7 instead of 7 o'clock, take the transport motion then and endeavour to finish it by 9.30?
The difficulty is the resumption of the debate on children's allowances. We shall have to try to get the Second Stage finished and it is not likely that it will be finished at 6. When is it suggested the debate be resumed?
In the absence of the Minister?
It does not make any difference.
While it is inconvenient for the Minister to be present at that particular time it is not impossible.
Leave it over until 6 o'clock.
It is not a measure on which there is any great contention.
May I suggest an afternoon meeting to-morrow?
A number of us had made arrangements for a meeting in the morning.
We could sit at 3 o'clock to-morrow if necessary.
Very well, I take it that is agreed. The House will meet to-morrow at 3 p.m., if necessary.
Is it agreed that the transport motion will be taken at 7? If it is, I have to say that practically all Labour Senators will be absent from 7 o'clock onwards.
I take it the agreement is that the transport motion be taken after the tea interval and that that debate will go on until the adjournment of the House.