I have had notice from Senator John Robb regarding a motion of which he has given me notice under Standing Order 29. I now call on Senator Robb.
Request Under Standing Order 29.
I wish to move a motion for the Adjournment of the Seanad on a specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration, the matter being the implications of the arrogant and uncompromising attitude shown towards the people of Ireland by the Prime Minister of Britain in the aftermath of her meeting with the Taoiseach and the need for the people of Ireland to stand firm behind the Taoiseach so that at the next meeting he will be able to demand from a position of strength a constructive response based on the fundamental democratic right to self-determination in relation to the consequences of the bitter conflict which has raged in my part of Ireland in the North for 15 years.
I appeal to all Senators present to be aware of the old British kith and kin, divide and rule argument. It is an English trap and, please, whatever else you do, be aware of that and do your best to avoid a split here in our approach to the authorities in England.
The Senator has given me notice, written notice. I have allowed him to speak. Now I want to give my ruling. If he wishes to comment on it in a sentence or two afterwards, I am prepared to allow him. I have given careful consideration to the matter raised by Senator Robb. I do not consider it to be a matter contemplated by Standing Order 29. I regret therefore that I have to rule it out of order.
In thanking you for your ruling may I just go on briefly to say that in the most arrogant outburst on the British television network that I have ever heard by an important leader of any country in relation to the people here, I heard on BBC 1 that the unified state is out; the confederation system is out; joint authority is out. My response to that is direct rule out, majority rule out — either form of it: the Irish or the Northern Irish form out — imperialism out. I would add: London summits out. Let the next two be in Dublin. Let us have our fair share and then let us go to neutral territory on the Isle of Man.
Senator Robb will resume his seat.
Obviously, the House accepts your ruling on the question of whether the motion would be in order. I think there are many of us who would share the concern and the degree of urgency that Senator Robb has expressed.
I might share it myself but the rules are the rules.
We accept that but I hope we will have an early opportunity to discuss it.
I am quite prepared to have a motion on this.
While I also accept your ruling — I would not question it for one moment — what I think this points to is a very serious flaw in the Seanad itself because there is no procedure within the Seanad for discussing a matter of this urgency. This is a matter of national importance. The Forum sat for at least a year and it has been proved to be a dead duck. There is no procedure within the Seanad for discussing this.
Put down a motion; that is the only answer I can make.
(Interruptions).
Table a motion about it. Item No. 3.
I would just like to say that I think that rules should be revised whereby something like this is not ——
(Interruptions.)
I will have to ask the Senator to resume his seat.
I cannot see what all the hullabaloo is about because we are discussing the Report of Developments in the EC since January 1984 and I feel that any Senator who wants to raise this matter can raise it in this debate on the Developments in the EC because this is a development in the EC. Any interchange on a bilateral basis or whatever can be raised here today on this motion. I think anybody who wants to raise this item can come in on this debate. It is an open-ended debate. There is absolutely no reason why any Senator should not take up his full time in a discussion of this matter in this debate.
I congratulate the Leader of the Opposition. I have always heard that the most intelligent people in Ireland come from Kilkenny. I am now convinced of it.