On the Order of Business yesterday I indicated what I hoped would have been the business today and in the days between now and 19 December and I remarked that there were uncertainties. The uncertainties have already overcome us in that the Air Pollution Bill did not complete Committee Stage last night and accordingly we are not in a position to move straight to the Electoral (Special Voters) Bill today. I propose for the Order of Business today Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and to deal with them in the following fashion.
Item No. 1. is the formal fixing of Second Stage for another Bill which has been introduced into the Seanad. I would propose that we should then continue the Committee Stage of the Air Pollution Bill and continue that until 4 p.m. If the Air Pollution Bill has not been completed by 4 p.m. we should then pass to the Second Stage of the Electoral (Special Voters) Bill. If the House has completed whatever number of stages it wishes of that Bill before 7 p.m. I would suggest that we should finish the motion on Development in Southern Africa. There are very few speakers still offering.
There are two other matters I want to mention on the Order of Business. One is in regard to the Electoral (Special Voters) Bill of which we will be taking Second Stage on Thursday. This is a Bill to allow certain persons to vote who up to this have not been able to vote in elections. I do not imagine there will be any dispute on it but nevertheless in case the circumstance did arise that an individual Member claimed a division this would mean that we could not determine the Second Stage until Wednesday next and we could not proceed to Committee Stage today nor proceed to Committee Stage on Tuesday next. I am now suggesting on the Order of Business that for the purpose of that Bill today we suspend the Order of the House of 29 October 1986 which allows the postponement of a division. In other words, if a division is called for today on that Bill the question of the division will be determined.
The other point I wish to raise is that at the conclusion of the Control of Clinical Trials Bill on Committee in the Seanad yesterday, I was not in the House at the time the order was made on that occasion that Report Stage be taken on Wednesday 10 December. It gives us more flexibility in regard to our arrangements if that order could be replaced by an Order for Tuesday 9 December so that we would be able to take it either on the Tuesday or the Wednesday. I do not want to make that a specific proposition at the moment because Senator Fallon who is Opposition spokesman in regard to this matter is not present. I will consult with him in the course of the day but for the information of Members I wish to indicate that I have in mind to propose the discharge of the order for Wednesday and replace it by an order for Tuesday.