With the permission of the House, business will suspend until 2.15 p.m. as the Minister has been delayed.
Business of Seanad.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
Sitting suspended at 2.02 p.m. until 2.15 p.m.
On a point of order, it is now past 2.15 p.m. This business was ordered for 2 p.m. on this morning's Order of Business. It was known even before the Order of Business that the matter would be ordered for 2 p.m.
When such a serious Bill is ordered, which makes provision for additional powers of detention by the Garda of suspected drug traffickers, we are entitled to expect there will be somebody here to move it.
Acting Chairman
The Acting Leader called for the suspension of the House for a quarter of an hour and the House agreed.
The Minister is here now. That is a rather cheap political point. Senator Dardis was not here at 2 p.m. either.
Acting Chairman
The House agreed to suspend until 2.15 p.m. It is a little later than that now so I will call item 2——
On a point of order, this is to do with the order of the House. I resent the fact that the Acting Leader said it is a cheap political point. This is a House of Parliament. The business was ordered this morning. I am prepared to accept the House was suspended at 2 p.m.
If the Senator was not here, he cannot complain.
We were here at 2.15 p.m.
Acting Chairman
May I remind you, Senator Dardis, that it was the same House which took the decision to suspend until 2.15 p.m. with the agreement of all sides of the House. That was the procedure which was applied and it was normal procedure.
I ask the Senator to withdraw that. Senator Fitzgerald and Senator McGennis will confirm they were here.
From where I was sitting, I did not see anybody on the Government side.
Senator Fitzgerald and Senator McGennis were here.
Acting Chairman
That is right.