I have received notice from Senator Ross regarding a motion of which he has given me notice under Standing Order 29. I now call on Senator Ross.
Business of Seanad.
Last week in this House I put down a motion on the Adjournment to discuss the Forum Report. The Acting Leader of the House replied that there were procedures of this House to discuss the Forum Report. I was ruled out of order on that case.
All I want to know is what the motion is?
The motion is before you. It is to discuss the Forum Report under Standing Order 29.1, which you have already received.
Will you read it out for me?
I do not have it with me. I did not get it back from the Clerk, to whom I handed it about an hour ago.
The Senator has not learned the procedure very well over the last week.
It is to discuss the Forum Report as a matter of public urgency.
I have given thorough consideration to the matter raised by Senator Ross and I do not consider it to be a matter contemplated by Standing Order 29. I regret, therefore, that I will have to rule it out of order.
Is it not a matter of urgent public interest, considering it has been so described by all political parties?
You must accept my ruling on it.
I accept your ruling.
I will discuss it with you at any time.
Is there any means whereby this House and the other House can discuss the Forum Report, because many members of these political parties are publicly discussing the Forum Report without discussing it in the Houses?
What the other House does I do not know, but in my opinion it is not in order under Standing Order 29.
May I add my words to those of Senator Ross that this is a matter which is of extreme public importance and has been discussed by various Members outside this House and outside the other House? It seems extraordinary that neither this House nor the other House appears to be——
There is no reason why you cannot put down a motion on it.
I have every intention of putting down a motion on it but that motion will not be reached for months, perhaps. It seems to me the members of the various parties leaped into an ill-advised press conference immediately after the issue of the report in which all sorts of other things were dealt with. It is necessary for both this House and the other House to deal with the matter.
I accept your ruling completely but I think it might be interesting to hear why the parties in this House do not put down a motion on which they will get precedence to discuss this report.