It is proposed to take Nos. 4, 2, 3, 5 and 1 in that order. A similar motion to No. 1 is being moved in the Dáil at 3.30 and if it is not possible to take it in this House this evening it will be necessary to meet tomorrow to deal with it.
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business, the unexpected tragedy has brought the first item on to our Order Paper. Leaving that particular matter aside as one of great urgency which will obviously have to be dealt with as quickly as possible. I would like to draw the attention of the House to the fact that we were summoned back here to meet today for the first time, after a lengthy Christmas recess, to deal with business items which are interesting but not of great legislative significance. After all, we are a legislative Chamber and I want to put on record my disappointment at the small amount of legislation the Government are bringing forward for us to deal with in order to fulfil our constitutional obligation. The legislative record has been quite appallingly bare and I must make a protest in that regard. In addition, when we do have legislation here very often we do not have the promoting Minister coming to this House. One of the second eleven comes instead. The Government are not treating this House as it should be treated.
I should like to refer to item No. 9 on the Order Paper and I do so for the same kind of reasons as those expressed by Senator Cooney. This is the Domicile Bill, 1980. This Bill was presented by me on behalf of the Labour group on 19 November last, that is three months ago tomorrow, and two months ago, on 17 December, I asked the Leader of the House to ensure that an early opportunity would be provided this year for a debate on this Bill. For the reasons given by Senator Cooney and seeing that there was no serious legislation coming from the Dáil, other than the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Bill, I had intended to press for a vote today. The situation has sadly changed to enable us to establish a tribunal to inquire into the events of last Saturday and the question of fire precautions generally. Obviously that may come before us this evening or, as Leader of the House said, we may have to sit specially tomorrow. In those circumstances I do not intend to press for a vote to add No. 9 to the Order of Business today, but I think there is a tradition in this House that motions give place to legislative proposals and the Domicile Bill, 1980 is a measure which the Minister for Justice has had three months to consider.
It is a very basic reform in the area of human rights. It is a reform that is necessary not only internally but for external credibility in that it has prevented us from signing and ratifying the Copenhagen Convention of last July on the elimination of discrimination against women.
The Senator is ranging outside the scope of the Order of Business.
I am deliberately keeping away from the merits of the actual substance of the Bill itself. This Bill should, I submit, get priority and that is not to say that the Science Budget which we will be discussing later is not a matter of importance. It is, and I am glad the Seanad will have an opportunity to discuss it. I hope that the Leader of the House will have positive information and that we can have a debate next week. If not, I propose to call for a vote and I would ask my female colleagues, particularly my married female colleagues on that side of the House who are the victims of discrimination that this Bill seeks to remove, to join in voting to give time for this Bill to be debated on Second Stage next Wednesday, if there is any problem about arranging for the debate on it. It is a matter of considerable importance in the area of human rights and it cannot wait for some indefinite future commitment.
Nobody would doubt the urgency of establishing the tribunal to look into the matter of the Stardust fire. I know that there are amendments tabled and the discussion in the Dáil may be longer than we know at present. If the tribunal resolution comes from the Dáil at any sort of a reasonable hour we should deal with the matter today, even if it means that we sit later than usual.
As one of Senator Robinson's married female colleagues, only not on the other side of the House, I should add a word of support to the urgency of discussing the Domicile Bill as soon as possible because in my professional life work in this area, and because I come across this discrimination in a practical form very frequently. It is something that has been referred to a Law Reform Commission and which has been discussed by the legal profession and by anyone who is interested in law reform for quite a considerable time, and I feel sure that it could be dealt with by the Government side at fairly short notice without too much difficulty. I would ask the Leader of the House that it be listed for discussion as soon as possible because it is a concrete matter which affects ordinary human beings every week of the year. It is not something that can be put off endlessly and it is something that is of practical effect all the time. It is due for discussion and for reform as soon as possible.
I want to support Senator Molony first in saying that the House has not sat since December. In view of the dreadful events of last weekend, the least we could do is demonstrate how urgently we are convinced of the need for establishing a tribunal and say that we will sit until whatever time is necessary today or tonight to establish that tribunal. I think that is the very least Senators must do.
I should imagine that it would go without saying that I would support Senator Robinson and Senator McGuinness in their remarks about the Domicile Bill. I am not hopeful, however, because regarding the remarks of Senator Cooney about the lack of legislation coming into this House, we should have had the Criminal Law (Rape) Bill here. It is ludicrous that it is going through the Dáil at no speed whatsoever. It could have been dealt with in this House by people who have already discussed that issue. I would like to support Senators Robinson and Molony.
I have noted the views expressed in regard to item No. 9 and I certainly hope to be in a position to deal with the request at the next meeting of the Seanad.
Order of Business agreed to.