It is intended to take items Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 today, that we take Second Stage of item No. 1 until approximately 4.30 p.m. There has been agreement among the Whips that no Senator will speak for more than ten minutes on this matter today. There will be ample opportunity when we get to the further Stages for people who have an interest in this very important legislation to make known their views. We will take Report Stage of item No. 2, Firearms and Offensive Weapons Bill, 1989, and we will order item No. 3, Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence) Bill, 1989, Second Stage. We will resume the motion at 7 p.m. and there are two hours and 15 minutes left for the motion which is in the name of Fine Gael.
Order of Business.
Could I just raise two questions? First, if there are more speakers present at 4.30 p.m. could we have a certain flexibility at that stage on item No. 1? Secondly, could the Leader of the House give any information about item No. 33 and when it may be possible to have this matter debated in the House? May I say to the Leader of the House that we would be prepared to have this matter, the question of a report on press freedom and libel, debated without there being a Minister in the House?
I note that your official programme tomorrow includes a meeting with President Ortega of Nicaragua. Since, regrettably, this is not a State visit and he will not be addressing the Houses of the Oireachtas, many of us would be very glad if you would convey to him——
This does not arise on the Order of Business.
It is a matter of topical importance.
It does not arise now.
Many matters of topical importance can be discussed on the Order of Business. You have on previous occasions allowed far less important matters to proceed. May I suggest——
I have ruled and there are other ways——
What I have to say will not take one minute. I am requesting the Cathaoirleach respectfully, on behalf of many of us in the House, to convey——
I have ruled on the matter.
——the good wishes of Seanad Éireann to President Ortega and to assure him of our feelings of affinity with his gallant but beleaguered country.
Senators
Hear, hear.
Could I ask the Leader of the House if at some time — not today, naturally, with the amount of work that he has itemised — he would make Government time available for us to take item No. 11, which is the Nuclear Free Zone Bill standing in the names of the Independent Senators and my own name as representing a widespread view within the country at the moment? Perhaps the Leader would give Government time to take this important Bill at First Stage.
Not today.
Without risking your ire, I would like to reiterate what Senator Murphy said about Nicaragua and that is all I have to say about it. I should like to ask the Leader of the House whether he would consider giving time to item No. 9 on the Order Paper in view of the fact that Amnesty International have launched a worldwide campaign this year for the abolition of the death penalty? It might be appropriate that the Government give time for this to be debated because Amnesty will be launching a campaign not only in the USSR and South Africa but also in Ireland for the abolition of that penalty. Secondly, I would like to ask the Leader of the House if he would also consider giving Government time to item No. 31, which deals with the problems of disabled people in this country?
I would like to ask the Leader of the House if he would clarify, because there seems to be confusion, certainly on this side of the House, what will happen if at 4.30 p.m. the Second Stage is not concluded if all speakers who wish to do so have not contributed to it. Will it be taken on another day?
I would like to support my colleague, Senator Ross, as a seconder of the Bill, item No. 9. I would be anxious for the reasons that he stated that it should be taken as early as possible. I would also like to ask that the Government consider giving some urgency to item No. 21 which is a motion in the area of foreign policy dealing with the situation in Iran which has become a lot more critical with the continued issuing of threats from that Government. Finally, is there any possibility that item No. 41 could be taken at an early date, bearing in mind the fact that both Senator Murphy and myself attempted to raise this matter — the question of the extinction of the art of ballet in this country — as a matter on the Adjournment but it was ruled to be out of order?
May I give notice that I have a request in under Standing Order No. 29 to raise the matter of the Supreme Court decision yesterday——
You do not have to give notice.
May I alert you to that fact? Thank you.
I will be very brief and I do not want to be contentious. I would like to ask the Leader of the House if he would possibly facilitate the House at some early date to have a debate on the frightening situation throughout Palestine? I know where his heart lies on the issue and I would appeal to him to facilitate the House at some stage.
On the Order of Business today, a question was raised by both Senator Manning and Senator McMahon in relation to the situation about item No. 1. There was an agreement at CPP that we would conclude Second Stage of this item at 4.30 p.m. today. We have gone a little over time so there will be a certain amount of flexibility, but not very much, at the end of the time. There was an agreement among the Whips as to how many people would be allowed to speak. I would suggest that, even though ten minutes does not seem to be a lot of time, possibly some Members might wish to split their time. If a number of people are offering speakers might split their time to give five or seven minutes to somebody else. In that way we will get through this important Bill and conclude Second Stage. There will be adequate time on Committee and Report Stages to debate the nitty gritty of the Bill. I am sure that by addressing ourselves to Second Stage today, with the Taoiseach, we will get through the programme for the Bill. It is a technical Bill to which Members can address themselves on Committee and Report Stages. Item No. 33 was mentioned by Senator Manning. I agree with him that this is a matter that should come before the House at an early stage. There is a difficulty in bringing it before the House as the Attorney General is involved in the matter. I will talk to Senator Manning, and anybody else who wishes to discuss this matter, during the day.
Senator Ferris is looking for Government time for No. 11.
He is looking for Government time on an Independent motion, which is an interesting one.
No, Government time will not be allowed for this item. I suggest that if the Senators who are interested wish to have this debated, that they bring it in as their motion whether it be an Independent motion supported by Labour or whether it be a Labour motion supported by the Independents. I do not see any reason why it cannot come before the House at a time of their picking.
Again, I would say that the same applies to item No. 9. I will not go into any further detail on that. It is a Bill in the Independents' names. It will not be given Government time.
Item No. 31 is again a motion in the Independent Senators' names and the Independent Senators have the opportunity to be next to have a motion before the House. If they feel that this is the appropriate motion, they can bring it before the House in that manner. In other words, they can choose the time at which they can bring it before the House. That item was also mentioned by Senator Norris and the same reply stands.
Item No. 21 is in the names of Senators Norris and Ross and I suggest that they have an order of priority for their motions on the Order Paper. It is up to them to decide the order of priority. This matter can be debated when they bring it forward.
Item No. 41, again is a matter for the Independent Senators to bring before the House on a motion. In view of the fact that there is a large amount of Government business coming before the House over the next few weeks, I cannot see that it will have any chance of being regarded as a matter of Government priority.
Senator Brendan Ryan mentioned a debate on Palestine. It is something which I would dearly like to see. We can have a debate on Palestine if the Whips come together and we have an appropriate wording organised so that we can put down an all-party motion which could embrace Palestine as its essence. The Order of Business stands.
I want to make what I consider to be an important point of order and that is that this country recognises and has established diplomatic relations with the State of Israel——
Senator Norris, that is not a point of order.
I wish to correct the record of the House——
It is not a point of order. Resume your seat, please.
Order of Business agreed to.