I assume that this motion is being taken by you under Standing Order No. 23 which says:
All Motions to be placed on the Order Paper for any day shall be in writing, signed by a Senator as proposer and another Senator as seconder, ...
It goes on to the notice which must be given:
Provided that by permission of the Cathaoirleach motions and amendments may be moved on short notice.
I assume it is under this provision that you are accepting this motion at short notice, even though it has not appeared on the Order Paper. I submit, however, that the other part of the Standing Order still governs the situation namely when it says that:
All Motions to be placed on the Order Paper for any day shall be in writing, signed by a Senator as proposer and another Senator as seconder,...
We have before us a motion signed by Senator Tomás Ó Maoláin. It is not signed by a seconder. Secondly, I want to submit that it is not, therefore, in order and could not, under the Standing Orders of the Seanad, be accepted for debate.
I want furthermore to question whether or not, in fact, it has been signed by Senator Tomás Ó Maoláin. We all know unfortunately and with regret, that the Leader of the House is sick. That does not prevent him, however, from signing a motion, nor does it prevent any other Senator putting down the motion. I want to raise the question as to whether, in fact, this motion which purports to be in the name of Senator Tomás Ó Maoláin is signed by Senator Ó Maoláin?