HC Deb 22 November 1888 vol 330 cc1839-40
MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

earnestly pressed on the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Treasury to take the Irish Estimates immediately after the Land Purchase Bill; or, at all events, to inform the House when those Estimates might be expected to be taken.

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

I have already stated to the House the arrangements as to the course of Business, and it would be most inconvenient that any departure should be made from that arrangement—most inconvenient both as a precedent and as regards hon. Members. The arrangement is that, so soon as the Bill under consideration is disposed of the, Government propose to ask the assent of the House to the second reading of the House to the second reading of the Excise Duties (Local Purposes) Bill, and after that the Employers' Liability for Injuries to Workmen Bill will be proceeded with. That is the engagement from which I cannot recede. As to what may follow, I shall consult the convenience of hon. Members.

THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.)

wished to know if the rest of the Irish Business, like the Land Purchase Bill, was to be taken de die in diem; and, if so, would the right hon. Gentleman state any probable date for the commencement of it.

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, that what he intended to convey was that they would take both the Scotch Estimates and the Irish Estimates together; and therefore the Irish Business would be proceeded with as far as the Government could manage de die in diem, unless it was found necessary to take up some Business of an urgent character.

MR. SEXTON

Are we to understand, then—to put the matter plainly—that the Irish Estimates are to be put off until everything else is done?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I endeavoured, as far as I could, to meet the convenience of hon. Members, and I thought it was their desire that the Irish Estimates should be postponed until a later period.

MR. DILLON

I wish merely to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman consulted the Irish Members. I am prepared to show the extreme inconvenience to Irish Members who have come here to take part in the consideration of an important Irish Bill to have a quantity of Scotch and English Business put in between the conclusion of that Bill and the Estimates. Several hon. Members will have to go home and cross the sea again.

MR. W. H. SMITH

I cannot bind myself as to the details; but I must remind the hon. Member that these arrangements were stated publicly to the House many days ago. No objection was raised to them. On the contrary, they appeared to me to meet with satisfaction by hon. Gentlemen below the Gangway.

MR. SEXTON

At the proper opportunity I will move that the Irish Estimates be adjourned over Christmas Day.