POSTAL STRIKE. - ADJOURNMENT MOVED. Thursday, 14 September 1922

Dáil Éireann Debate Vol. 1 No. 5 Page of 18

The PRESIDENT:    I move the adjournment till Monday at 3 o'clock.

Mr. THOMAS JOHNSON:    As an Amendment I beg to move that we meet to-morrow at 3 o'clock, and follow on the business of which notice has been given.

MINISTER for LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Mr. Blythe):    I will second the President's Motion that we adjourn until 3 o'clock on Monday. This Ministry has been newly constituted. Once we enter upon the business of dealing with the Constitution the Sessions of the Dáil will be very continuous I take it, and the work here will be very heavy, and before we enter on that the Ministry desire particularly to have a day or two clear for the despatch of necessary Departmental business that arises chiefly out of the reconstitution of the Ministry.

Mr. JOHNSON:    I have moved.

AN CEANN COMHAIRLE:    It is only within the province of the Ministry to move the adjournment. I will take a vote on it.

Mr. JOHNSON:    I again move my Amendment that we meet to-morrow at 3 o'clock. One of my reasons for doing so is the very reason, put forward by the Minister for Local Government—that the Government will be taking up the time of the Dáil after Monday, as far as they possibly can. That is a special reason. why non-Governmental business should be taken before that day, and it is very essential that matters that are not brought forward by the Government should be considered at as early a date as possible.

Mr. GAVAN DUFFY:    I second the Amendment

Mr. W. O'BRIEN:    Surely it would be in order to substitute Friday for Monday in the Motion.

[318]AN CEANN COMHAIRLE:    The Amendment is: “That the Dáil adjourns to to-morrow at 3 o'clock.” I will put the Amendment.

CATHAL O'SHANNON:    One moment. On a point of information may I ask the Minister for Home Affairs when he proposes to deal with the matters mentioned yesterday, and brought under the general head of “Civil Administration”?

Mr. O'HIGGINS:  I have not yet had an opportunity of discussing with the members of the Government what day I would be set apart for that. I think it would be advisable when the matter does arise that we would have a Motion put down which would enable a rather wide discussion on the question. It is a question of arrangement, and we have not yet fixed on any day.

Mr. A. BYRNE:    While waiting for the division, what is the business announced for to-morrow? Have we any notice of any business for to-morrow?

The PRESIDENT:    There is only one Motion.

Mr. BYRNE:  Could we not know what is before us before we vote? We want to know what business is tabled by any member or members for to-morrow?

AN CEANN COMHAIRLE:    There is a Motion that we do not sit to-morrow. Deputy Johnson read out his Motion already.

Professor MAGENNIS:    Would the President be good enough to circulate to the members copies of the Treaty, and Constitution? The Official brochure refers to the Treaty as being “scheduled,” but it is not in the brochure. I think it would be an excellent thing that each Deputy should have a copy of the Treaty so that ho could refer to it during the discussion.

The PRESIDENT:    We will circulate that. But I think somebody else asked for the Constitutions of Canada and Australia.

Mr. GOREY:    A good many members have not the Constitution.

The PRESIDENT:    We will try to make them available.

[319]Mr. DARRELL FIGGIS:    May I ask supposing the Dáil adjourns and the Government's Motion, is carried, will Deputy Johnson's Motion come on, on Monday?

Mr. ERNEST BLYTHE:    I think that could best be settled under the Standing Order Rules when they are before us.

Mr. CORISH:    I think this House was given to understand that the Constitution would be taken on Monday. We are anxious to have the state of the country discussed so far as the Civil Adinimstration generally is concerned. We on these Benches are anxious to have that discussion. Everybody knows the state of the country at the moment so far as the Civil Administration is concerned. That should not be put back until the Constitution is completely discussed. Are we to understand one day will be given next week?

[320]The PRESIDENT:    We will try and arrange some one day next week.

Mr. CORISH:    We accept that.

Mr. O'HIGGINS:  A day will be set aside before definite steps are taken for sending out the new Magistrates.

AN CEANN COMHAIRLE:    The Constitution cannot necessarily occupy the time. There must be gaps.

Mr. FRANK McGUINNESS:    I want to know if any new Magistrates have been appointed?

Mr. O'HIGGINS:  They have not bee appointed. They have been interview and asked as to their, willingness to accept, but no appointment has been made.

Mr. FRANK McGUINNESS:    The reason I asked is because you said you would take this Motion before you sent out the Magistrates.

[321][322] The Amendment was put and lost on a division, the voting being 20 for and 45 against.

Motion “That the Dáil do now adjourn until 3 o'clock on Monday ” put and agreed to.

Dáil adjourned accordingly until 3 o'clock on Monday, 18th September.

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