Deputy Mrs. O'Callaghan is in order.

I want to know what Standing Orders are against my proposing this motion, and why it has not appeared on the agenda. I want the answer from you, because it is hardly fair that such a pastmaster in procedure as Mr. Cosgrave should tackle me, quite a novice.

You want an answer from me?

Yes.

The first procedure is, we have to keep to the Orders of the Day, and the second thing on the Standing Orders is that a Deputy proposing a motion shall give one day's written notice of a motion to the Chairman or Clerk.

I sent it in a wire yesterday. If you like I will give notice of motion again for to-morrow.

Certainly; that would be quite in order.

I submit that the notice already given was the notice required. It was received in such time that it was handed over to the Provisional Government to be dealt with.

I must rule on the Standing Orders.

I must contradict a statement made by Mr. Stack. It was not handed over to the Provisional Government. I made it quite clear—and I was Minister of Local Government—that Dáil Eireann had not anything to do with the franchise, and it is a violation of the conditions you entered into at the time of the Truce.

A question was asked the Speaker.

I have answered the question.

I want to clear up something. Mr. Stack said that that telegram should have been put on the agenda. We ruled ourselves in Sinn Féin that you cannot take a telegram. Anybody could send a telegram in anybody else's name.

I will hand in notice for to-morrow.

Twenty-four hours is the regulation. Either have regulations or not. Twenty-four hours' notice is not until eleven o'clock in the morning.

People want to be very technical. It was not on the ground that they could not rely on the genuineness of the telegram that it was ruled out.

There is one thing that ought to be made perfectly clear, irrespective of the motion in question. The notice that has to be given is written notice of motion. I think it ought to be universally adopted that notice of motion means, in case of a Bill or Decree, notice setting out the full document, because a document of this kind is absolutely valueless if it says notice of motion concerning such a subject. It is the duty of a person who proposes a notice of motion to set out the motion in full. If it is not set out in full, then it is not complying with the Standing Orders, and no action should be taken upon it.

Arising out of this question of Orders of the Day, I wonder could we get any arrangement by which it would be possible whereby those on our side who wish to bring forward matters would have them definitely brought forward other than waiting like this without knowing whether they would come on at all? If this happened to-morrow or at the end of the Session it would not come up at all. Would it be possible to arrange by means of the Ceann Comhairle that notices of motion like that would be considered in some definite manner? For instance, take the case of the Speaker to-day. He is absent. Somebody may have sent him a letter yesterday and may never hear of it again. The matter should be considered by somebody the Cabinet and the Deputies would appoint.

That is provided for in the Standing Orders—notice to the Chairman or his Clerk.

You may not be in Session. Before the Session begins you are not always able to get the Chairman and his Clerk. If you send a letter you don't know whether it has arrived or not. If a competent body is appointed to meet in advance so that proposals coming from our side might be considered and given a place on the agenda.

A person who leaves a motion on an important subject until the last moment cannot feel very strongly about it. Every motion properly sent to us, so far as we know, has been put down on the agenda in the order in which it was received.

I beg to move that we adjourn for luncheon.

I second Deputy MacCarthy's motion.

Are we to have your ruling on a very important point—on the competence of Ministers to exclude from the Order Paper a motion on the ground that the terms of it are not such as Dáil Eireann could consider? Is it not in order that a motion should be presented to the Clerks of the House and placed by them on the Order Paper under your supervision and that of the Government, without being excluded by Ministers?

There is a motion now that the House adjourn. Is there any objection? ("No!")

The House adjourned at 1.30 p.m. for luncheon.