It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 7 (Votes 27 to 33 inclusive). Discussion on the Arts Bill, if not concluded earlier, will be interrupted at 7 p.m. to allow a debate on the Education Estimates.
Order of Business
Could the Taoiseach say, apart from Estimates, what legislation it is proposed to have debated here in the Dáil during the remainder of the present session?
I shall get a list, I hope, by tomorrow or Thursday and give it on the Order of Business.
Could the Taoiseach say when the Bills that are on the Order Paper, items 8 to 13, inclusive, are likely to be introduced? I would ask him if he is aware that in the case of each of these Bills, publication of them was promised during the Summer Recess and, indeed, in the case of two of them — the Electoral Amendment Bill and the Local Government Planning Bill — publication and circulation were promised during the Easter Recess. None of these Bills has appeared and, in fact, the only Bill that did appear in print during the recess was the Arts Bill which was based largely on preparations already made before the Government took office, and this is, as far as I know, the first time that no substantial legislation appeared as promised during the long vacation.
Two of these Bills, the Electoral Amendment Bill, that is, No. 8, and the Local Government Planning and Development Bill, are in an advanced stage of preparation. I understand that the Conditions of Employment Bill is likely to be circulated in the course of a few weeks. In regard to the other Bills I shall endeavour to get the up-to-date position. The Deputy is aware, of course, that this year the business was different from other years in the sense that an election intervened, and that generally delays the introduction of legislation.
The election was long before August.
I wonder if you could arrange to allow time between the items of Business today for Deputy L'Estrange to make a statement on the reluctance of the Government to arrest Mr. Daithí O'Connell—
The Deputy ought to give the Chair notice of a matter of this kind.