Vol. 120 No. 4
We are now due to deal with Item No. 3, a motion which reads:
That Seanad Éireann, conscious of the dire situation of local authorities throughout the country in terms of the services that are provided, calls on the Minister for the Environment in the preparation of the Estimates to provide funding to remedy the present crisis.
The motion is in the name of Senators Brian O'Shea, Michael Ferris and Jack Harte.
The Senators who have put the motion down are not present.
Shall we fix a time at which to take that motion?
Shall we fix it for 5 p.m.?
No. The business of the Seanad is adjourned, sine die.
On a point of order, I do not understand what is going on but if the Leader of the House is trying to pull a fast one by adjourning the Seanad simply because these people are not here and do not understand that this is coming up that would be absolutely ridiculous. I am quite prepared to talk for the next hour until they arrive.
The Chair understands that it was intended to take Item No. 3 at 6 p.m. Perhaps, we could bring the time forward a bit. With the agreement of the House, the Chair read out the motion to give the Senators concerned an opportunity to hear the item being called on the monitor.
I support the sentiments expressed by Senator Ross because this motion deals with a very serious issue and remarks made might have a bearing on the Estimates for 1989. I think it would be unfair also if this debate was to go ahead without the presence of the Minister for the Environment.
As Senator Hogan has said, it would appear that this motion, as proposed, has connotations for the whole country. If the proposers of the motion are not in the House——
Where is the Minister?
It was ordered for 6 p.m.
The presence of the Minister has no bearing on the issue; it is for the House to decide. Senator Brian O'Shea is not here. Senator Michael Ferris is not here. Senator John Harte is not here.
The order has been made and as far as the Chair is concerned this time was fixed to be taken at 6 p.m. on the Order of Business this morning. It puts the Chair in a difficult position.
Senator Lanigan knows well that nobody expected the debate on the Courts Bill to finish as quickly as it did and surely what we should do is adjourn the House for a short period until the Labour Senators are ready to propose their motion.
The Chair cannot accept a proposal to suspend the House for five or ten minutes from the Opposition. It would have to come from the Leader of the House.
There is no suggestion, on our side, of trying to stop this motion being taken. I ask: where are those who put down this motion.
Where was Senator Lanigan during the debate on the Courts Bill?
The presence or absence of Members has always been——
I did not put down the motion.
The Senator is the Leader of the House and represents the Government side.
We need to get some order on this.
I suggest that we adjourn for ten minutes and, if the proposers of the motion are not here within ten minutes, that the Seanad adjourn sine die.
Say 15 minutes.
Is that agreed?
It would be more sensible to adjourn until 4 p.m. It is obvious that they have received no notice and it is possible that all three have left the building. This is completely against the spirit of the way in which the business of this House has been conducted in the past.
It has been suggested that the Seanad adjourn for ten minutes and if the proposers of the motion are not here within ten minutes it will not be my fault.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
