It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 2 and 8 on the Order Paper, the discussions to proceed simultaneously. It is also proposed to continue the sitting until 11 p.m.
Order of Business.
I do not think there is agreement to sit until 11 p.m. I think 10 p.m. is late enough, especially for those who have to travel home each night. Quite a number of Senators have to travel 50 or 60 miles, and sitting this extra hour makes a great difference to them. Therefore, I move that we adjourn at 10 p.m., the normal hour.
What is the option to prolonging the discussion until 11 p.m.?
Unfortunately, the Senator was not here yesterday when I said that our target was to begin the Summer Recess on Thursday, August 1, in order to accommodate, not alone Members of the House but also the staff of both Houses of the Oireachtas who every year are subject to the same uncertainty in regard to holidays. In order to achieve that target, it is necessary to complete the programme and I see no way of doing that in view of the lengthy speeches that are being made and which may be expected except to extend the sitting hours a little longer than usual.
The House must decide this matter.
It would be much easier to get the extra hour if the House sat until 6 p.m. tomorrow and this would mean less inconvenience to all concerned. I think it is unfair to expect us to sit until 11 p.m.
That seems to be a constructive suggestion. We do appreciate the concern of the Leader of the House to get through the business and we would not wish to deprive him of the extra time. Would he accept Senator McDonald's proposition?
I wish to support this. If there was need for an extra hour, why did we not begin at 10.30 a.m. today?
Surely for those who live at long distances away it is more convenient to sit until 11 tonight and then leave in good time tomorrow night in order to get home.
The Chair will leave the matter to the House. The proposition from the Leader of the House is that the House should sit until 11 p.m.
With all respect to Senator FitzGerald, I discussed this with the Leader of his Party and I informed all and sundry that our target was as I have stated, and I also stated that we wanted to finish the Second Stage of the Constitution Bills this week. My fear now is that even sitting for an extra hour tonight, we may not finish in the time suggested by Senator McDonald and we may have to make a similar proposition tomorrow.
The proposition then is that unless business is finished earlier, the House will sit until 11 p.m.
Question put and declared carried.