Committee on Finance. - Private Members' Business: Motions Not Moved.Wednesday, 6 November 1957 |
Dáil Éireann Debate
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An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
Motion No. 20, in the name of Deputy McQuillan.
Mr. McQuillan:
I do not propose to move that motion.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
Motion No. 21 in the names of Deputies Browne and McQuillan.
Mr. McQuillan:
I do not propose to move that motion.
Mr. Sweetman:
The Deputy has said he is not moving it but Deputy Browne is not here. Is it not usual to give a Deputy a moment or two. I say that even though I might not have any sympathy with the particular motion.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
Motion No. 21 in the names of Deputies Browne and McQuillan. Does Deputy Browne propose to go on with the motion?
Dr. Browne:
I am not moving it, Sir.
[605]An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
Motion No. 22 in the names of Deputies McQuillan and Browne.
Mr. McQuillan:
It is not being moved.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
Motion No. 23 in the names of Deputies Browne and McQuillan.
Dr. Browne:
It is not being moved.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
Motion No. 24 in the name of Deputy George Russell.
Mr. Sweetman:
Do we not give a Deputy a few moments? Is it not usual to give him a few moments in a case like that?
Mr. McQuillan:
I understand that Deputy Russell is not moving it.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
I take it that if the Deputy were interested he would be in his seat.
Mr. Sweetman:
He might not anticipate the other motions being dropped.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
He might not have anticipated that Private Members' time would come on so quickly.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
That would be a matter for the Deputy.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
Motion No. 25 in the name of Deputy John Murphy.
Mr. J. Murphy:
I am not moving that motion.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
Sara rachaidh tú ar aghaidh go dtí an chéad rún eile. I should like to point out to members of the Dáil generally that this is the first official intimation the Government has had that these motions were not being moved. I am responsible for seeing to the best of my ability that business runs smoothly in this House. [606] I had arrangements made for the various Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries dealing with motions Nos. 20 to 26 to be prepared to deal with them as they came around, either to-night or later on. I think it is only fair to expect that Deputies who table motions should, in courtesy to the Government — I understand there is no rule about it—tell the Minister concerned or tell me that they do not propose to go ahead.
Mr. McQuillan:
In reply to the Parliamentary Secretary, I want to make it quite clear that the Government received seven days' notice of the fact that motion No. 26 on to-day's Order Paper would be moved immediately after the motion dealing with the United Nations. The intention, when the Dáil reopened on the 23rd October was that motion No. 26 would be moved. Due to a misunderstanding which occurred on that occasion — which, I want to have it on the records of the House, was not due to the staff of the House in any way — that motion had to be postponed and, instead, the second motion on the Order Paper, dealing with a plebiscite on the matter of United Nations observers, was taken. I made it clear last week that, if I received the consent of the other Deputies who had motions on the Order Paper to postpone their motions, it was my intention, immediately after the motion dealing with the United Nations, to move the motion dealing with internee arrangements.
Earlier to-day the Government had sufficient notice of the fact that this motion was coming up to-night because the Government, through some of their representatives, made the necessary inquiries through the Ceann Comhairle's office as to whether it was my intention to move motion No. 26 on the Order Paper and the Government was so informed. There is no doubt whatever that the Government knew that this motion was coming up. It even went so far that the Government suggested that the motion be postponed on the basis that the Minister who was to take the motion was ill.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
The Government did not.
[607]Mr. McQuillan:
That is the position.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
The Government did not.
Mr. McQuillan:
Such was the information conveyed to me.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
That information was wrong.
Mr. McQuillan:
That the Minister was ill and, therefore, it would be ungentlemanly, in other words, that this motion should go ahead while the Minister was ill. I want that on the records of the House.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
Is Deputy McQuillan finished, because I should like to say something in reply?
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle:
I should point out to the House that we cannot have any debate on this point. The Parliamentary Secretary is entitled to put his point to the House and I have allowed Deputy McQuillan to reply but there cannot be any debate because there is no motion before the house.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
The other point I want to make is that no information came from any Deputy direct to the Government that that would be the position as regards motion No. 26. We did hear rumours, but neither Deputy Russell nor Deputy Murphy, who were responsible for two motions, told us that they were not moving their motions to-night. Neither did Deputy McQuillan.
Mr. McQuillan:
The Parliamentary Secretary is not so naive as to suggest that it was necessary for any Deputy to tell the Parliamentary Secretary that he would not move a motion. The Government were well aware of the fact that I would be moving motion No. 26 to-night and were aware of that fact since last week.
Donnchadh Ó Briain:
We were not. I do not say it is necessary at all, but it would make for the more expeditious transaction of business if we knew exactly where we stood beforehand, not at 12 o'clock to-day.
Mr. McQuillan:
I cannot help that.
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