In case a remark I made at the commencement of business might be misunderstood, I should like to say for the information of Senators that the Reporting Staff available for the House is obviously depleted and that there may be some delay in getting out the Official Reports.
Business of Seanad.
I should like it to be understood that if the House is being asked to adjourn until 8 o'clock, I for one do not think we should do so. The matter of the sittings of the House was referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and it decided that we should sit at our normal hour of 3 o'clock in order to conduct business normally. Now we find that because of the failure of negotiating machinery——
I should point out to the Senator that the adjournment is to accommodate the Inter-Parliamentary Union——
It is meeting at 7 o'clock.
I am aware of that but it quite frequently happens that committees such as that meet while the House is sitting and I should not like to feel we are——
This arrangement was reached at the special request of many Senators.
I should like to say on behalf of the Independents that we might be consulted before this kind of thing is put before the House. I do not think that is an unreasonable request.
Business suspended at 6.25 p.m. and resumed at 8 p.m.