Tairgim:
Go ndeonófar suim fhorlíontach nach mó ná £10 chun íochta an mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníochta i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31ú lá de Mhárta, 1974, le haghaidh tuarastail agus costais Roinn an Taoisigh.
I move:
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £10 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1974, for the salaries and expenses of the Department of the Taoiseach.
Probably the most important events affecting our country over the past year or so have been developments on Northern Ireland, our entry into the European Economic Community and on the domestic front, the social welfare increases and the way in which inflation is affecting our economy. I propose to deal briefly today with these subjects, as well as reviewing developments in the economy generally and organisational changes in the public service.
I have arranged for the laying before the Houses of the Oireachtas copies of the agreed communique on the conference at Sunningdale on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th December between the British and Irish Governments and the parties involved in the Northern Ireland Executive-designate.
The communique is the result of approximately four days of close negotiations between this Government, the British Government and members of the Executive-designate for Northern Ireland. The wording of the communique is I believe clear and I do not think it necessary or useful to enter here into a detailed commentary on it, or interpretation of it.
The important thing now is to make what was agreed at Sunningdale work for the benefit of all the people of Ireland. Not merely do we want to see the power-sharing Executive, and the Council of Ireland, come into being early in the new year, we also want to see them come into being under the best possible auspices; that is to say with maximum growth in mutual confidence between the different groups and interests which will make up these institutions. This process would not, in my Government's view, be helped if each party to the agreement were to enter into detailed exposition of its own particular interpretation of the communique, or of any part of it.
The Sunningdale agreement opens out a new prospect of hope for peace and reconciliation and co-operation in this island. But we cannot just take the realisation of that hope for granted.
We, all of us had to work hard at Sunningdale to bring about the agreement recorded in the communique. We shall, all of us, have to work even harder in the months to come, and to show a great deal of patience on all sides, if we are to build on that agreement the living reality of co-operation in mutual confidence and mutual respect.
The Sunningdale agreement, and all it represents, are threatened by violent men on two sides. These men play into one another's hands; both their language and their actions are increasingly similar. They are trying to keep hate and fear alive in this country because they feed on hate and fear. They are likely to seek, in the months to come, to wear down the patience and the nerve of those who reached agreement at Sunningdale. I am confident that they will no succeed in this desperate enterprise. They will not succeed because there is at last coming into being, on a firm basis, a working understanding of the centre, representing the united strength of the sensible elements in this island, drawn from both communities and both traditions of allegiance.
There is good reason to believe that by a very great majority the people of this island approve of what was agreed at Sunningdale and will support the institutions deriving from that agreement. Here I would like to express my appreciation of the constructive response of the Press here, irrespective of party, to the Sunningdale agreement. I hope and I believe that this debate also will strengthen the Sunningdale agreement by showing that there is a strong consensus in the Dáil in favour of this agreement.
I have no doubt that many persons reading the agreement will criticise parts of it in isolation from the remainder. That is not the way in which it can be read. This agreement is a unit. No one part of it can be taken in isolation from the other parts. Those who say they do not want the statements on the status of Northern Ireland must also say that they do not want a Council of Ireland. The policing, human rights and law reform proposals are equally part of the totality of the agreement. In particular, anyone who contemplates rejecting the agreement should remember, that without that agreement—and I mean the whole of that agreement—the power-sharing Executive in the North, could not come into being. I would ask Deputies and the people of Ireland to regard it in the light of these remarks —which is the way in which it was negotiated and accepted by the two Governments and three other parties at the conference. And I would ask, in particular, that when debating it Deputies should remember that lives depend on the way the agreement is interpreted and implemented.
The next stage—the more formal stage of the tripartite talks will take place early in the new year. In the meantime the Northern Ireland Executive will have been appointed and power will have been devolved by Westminster to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Council of Ireland will be constituted following the resumed tripartite conference at which a formal agreement will be reached between the sovereign Governments concerned.
As I have said, I think it is generally agreed by most of the public that the outcome of the historic Sunningdale negotiations was an encouraging one. What was even more encouraging for all of us who were present there was the spirit in which the negotiations were conducted and in which the outcome was received. In the course of the very close negotiations, including one negotiation that went on all night, the parties concerned showed remarkable patience, as well as a tenacity that put the patience of their partners also to the test.
The British Prime Minister, Mr. Heath, showed his sense of the importance of these proceedings by the assiduity with which he took part in the conference, and the notable personal contribution which he made to them. The three partners to the Northern Ireland Executive—Mr. Faulkner's Unionists, the SDLP and the Alliance parties—constituted in effect the key-stone of the Sunningdale agreement. Without their previous historic agreement to share power in an Executive, nothing which subsequently took place would have become possible. In the proceedings at Sunningdale they showed the same resource and the same combination of firmness and flexibility that had enabled the Executive to come into being.
My own delegation also played its full part in the negotiating process that led to agreement. But the most encouraging thing of all about Sunningdale was the reaction of all delegates when agreement was finally reached. All delegations, and I believe every member of every delegation was genuinely and spontaneously happy at the outcome, and this was visible and audible around us on the afternoon the agreement was signed. There were, as I had hoped there would be, no winners and no losers. But something had come about by which we can all stand to win; that is an increase in mutual confidence and mutual respect. On that we intend to build effective co-operation in the future.
Following the sluggish performance of the economy in the three years 1970-1972 when the growth rate averaged only 3 per cent—a figure well below national productive capacity—activity has speeded up and the growth rate this year is likely to be of the order of 6 per cent.
This improvement has been due mainly to the vigorous fiscal policies of the Government designed to take up the slack that had been allowed to develop in the three preceding years. The Government have injected into the economy substantial sums on both capital and current account to give a boost to growth. Estimated current expenditure for 1973-74 stands some £141 million above its level in the last fiscal year and at the same time capital expenditure has been increased by £43 million. The financing of these large additional expenditures has been so arranged that the net borrowing requirement at £193 million is some £72 million above its 1972-73 level. The addition to purchasing power brought about in this way is bringing about substantial increases in output and investment.
The value of retail sales rose by 19 per cent in the first eight months of the year while the number of new private motor cars registered rose by over 20 per cent in the period January to October. Exports rose in value by about 34 per cent in the first ten months of the year. Tourist receipts have also been increasing.
Consumer demand generally is estimated to have grown in volume by over 7 per cent in the period January-September. This expansion is welcome for the increase it means in living standards and general well-being, but it can take place safely only when it does not unduly encroach on the resources available for investment or cause an immoderate external deficit. These dangers are not at present manifest, but it is worth bearing in mind that we can enjoy high levels of consumption only as long as they are accompanied by high exports.
The increased pace of economic activity has generated higher imports. The major increase was, however, in materials for further production and in capital goods. This augurs well for economic activity over the coming months. At the same time, exports are also running at a high level and the prospects are good for an acceptable out-turn to the balance of payments for the year.
A disquieting feature of the economic situation is the incidence of inflation. The extent of our inflation is reflected in the very high rise of 11.2 per cent in the consumer price index in the year to August last, following 11.7 per cent at mid-May and 10 per cent at mid-February. While there was a slight easing in the rate of increase at mid-August, inflationary pressures both at home and abroad are still strong and no significant improvement is likely for some time having regard to the impact of higher oil prices on a wide range of goods and services.
It is important to distinguish between the external factors and the domestic factors behind the increase in the level of our consumer prices. Food prices have accounted for the major share of the increase, and while this has been partly due to domestic reasons, the dominating factors have been the world shortage of meat and other basic foods which led to an exceptional rise in prices. In fact, import prices have generated more than one-third of the total increase in prices.
As to the non-food items, the main source of the rise in prices has been the excessive increases in non-agricultural incomes. Two main categories of income are concerned here —profits and pay—and the aim of our counter-inflationary policy is to ensure that their contribution to inflation is moderated. The Government's price control policy is making an important contribution to that end. We are determined to ensure that excessive price increases do not occur. We expect firms to absorb as far as possible, through increased productivity, increased costs whether for labour or non-labour items. The National Prices Commission lay special emphasis on this principle when considering applications for price increases, and there is a clear obligation on both management and employees to ensure that the potential for improving productivity is fully exploited.
The House is also aware that the Minister for Industry and Commerce recently made a number of statutory orders controlling prices and profit margins for a wide range of goods. These affect retailers and also importers and wholesalers. In addition, the period of advance notice required for proposed price increases has been increased from one to two months. The list of goods, whose prices must be displayed in retailers' premises, has also been extended so as to assist housewives in price comparisons between shops.
These measures strengthen the price control machinery significantly. To ensure that they will be strictly enforced, the number of price inspectors in the Department of Industry and Commerce is being increased. The Minister for Industry and Commerce is keeping the situation under constant review and will not hesitate to introduce any further necessary and practicable measures.
Apart from price control, other steps to protect the consumer are being taken. A National Consumer Advisory Council has been established and further legislation on consumer protection is envisaged. The views of the National Prices Commission on this matter will be given full weight.
As regards wages and salaries, increases since 1970 have largely been determined under the terms of the national agreements of 1970 and 1972. The Government are committed to complying with the terms of these agreements, and they have been complied with in the determination of the increases in pay awarded to the public service members of the judiciary and to the Members of the Oireachtas. The agreements reflect collective decisions by the vast majority of Irish workers and employers and it is in the national interest that they be maintained and supported by all, and not undermined by the actions of sectional interests. This principle prompted the Government to introduce the legislation to control the remuneration and conditions of employment of banks staff which received unanimous support in this House.
The Government favour the voluntary negotiation of a further national agreement. Like its predecessors, this should facilitate an orderly development of incomes and the achievement of the important social aim of improving the position of the lower-paid. It is doubtful whether free collective bargaining, without the framework of national agreements, would do as much to achieve this end.
The negotiation of a further agreement which will contribute to the achievement of both economic and social objectives is a vital element if the community is to achieve continued economic growth with more employment, a slowing down in the rise in prices and better industrial relations.
The management of monetary policy will require care and continuous review in order to maintain a reasonable balance between the diverse forces at work in the economy. Last year the total amount of bank credit increased by £320 million. While the measures introduced by the Central Bank in February had a moderating effect, the demand for credit remains strong. The present aim of policy is to ensure a moderate rate of credit expansion sufficient to meet the reasonable needs this year of the public.
Interest rates have moved strongly upwards during the year and now stand at historically high levels. Our preference would be for lower rates but we are not immune from international movements and the openness of our economy means that there are strong influences tending to equalise rates between this country and Britain. Our policy in this situation is directed at ensuring that rates here are no higher than is absolutely necessary.
Our external reserve position is strong and is not expected to cause concern. The seasonal fall in the early part of the year has been reversed and it is expected that our reserves will show little overall change for the year as a whole.
Economic and other problems continue to cause uncertainties and upsets on the international monetary scene. They have generated large movements of funds putting pressure on exchange markets. These difficulties show no prospect of diminishing and will, in fact, probably be accentuated by the likely increased balance of payments of oil-producing countries and large deficits elsewhere.
The Committee of Twenty of the IMF are continuing their efforts to find a reformed monetary system to replace the existing Bretton Woods system, which has proved inadequate to meet the changing situation in recent years. Progress has been slow, but this has to be expected, given the complexity of the issues involved. However, the Committee of Twenty, meeting in Nairobi on the occasion of the annual general meeting of the IMF, in order to give an impetus to the work, fixed 31st July, 1974, as a deadline for settling the issues of reform.
Predicting future economic trends is at all times a hazardous business. This year the hazards are multiplied a hundred-fold by the uncertainties about the effects of the oil situation on our economy. I would here like to add my weight to the appeal of the Minister for Transport and Power for moderation in the use of oil to which the public now seem to be responding well. The Minister will keep the public informed of developments in that regard.
The present position was fully covered by the Minister and by the Minister for Industry and Commerce in the Dáil yesterday. Up to now we have had a shortfall of about 15 per cent in supplies. The reports now coming in to us put the shortage in oil supplies as high as 30 per cent. A shortage of this magnitude would give rise to serious problems.
In addition to present difficulties about oil supplies, Deputies will have noticed that some of the world's economic prophets have recently been forecasting a substantial down-turn in economic growth in the developed world. The scale of the reduction in oil supplies in the years immediately ahead could accentuate the down-turn to the point of "non-growth".
We here cannot insulate ourselves from the effect of major world economic trends. In fact we have one of the most open economies in the world and we are subject to the effects of all major world economic trends, for example, the steeply rising cost of finance over the past year. The Government, however, have no intention of sitting back and allowing things to happen to the country—in the economic sense. We have set up a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Energy and the Economy consisting of the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, the Minister for Labour, the Minister for Transport and Power and the Minister for Industry and Commerce. This subcommittee will keep the overall economic and growth position under review in the context of developments in oil supplies and other major economic trends.
We hope that the situation will not become so serious that jobs will be threatened, the expansion of the economy halted and, indeed, our standard of living reduced. However, it would be unrealistic not to recognise now that all the possibilities may have to be faced and to make proper provision for them.
We have, of course, already given the ESB the green light to make the initial moves to provide the country with a major new energy source—a nuclear power station.
I may add also that I will be discussing the oil situation, among other topics, with my European colleagues at the summit meeting in Copenhagen later this week.
Since so little concrete information is available at the present time it is necessary, in any review of the likely trends in 1974, to leave the oil situation aside as an imponderable. Provided it does not become unduly serious, the picture for 1974 is reasonably optimistic. In agriculture, we will continue to enjoy a competitive position; our agricultural stocks are at a record level and we can hope for a further marked rise in agricultural exports and incomes.
Of course, the trend of our unit wage costs will be of paramount significance. The rapid increase in industrial output which appears to have taken place in 1973 has increased productivity considerably and reduced unit wage costs. If income increases in the coming months are kept at a moderate level, this beneficial trend will be reinforced, with all that this implies for increased employment and real incomes for our community.
What has been achieved during 1973 has been noteworthy and living standards have been significantly raised. We must make every effort to consolidate and improve upon these gains in 1974.
In general, I may summarise by saying that the Government's approach to the management of the economy will not be either inhibited or over-cautious but it will be watchful for the emergence of unwanted side-effects to its policies from home or international events.
Developments in relation to the supply of oil have increased the Government's desire to secure the thorough exploration of our Continental Shelf for oil and natural gas. The present position is that about 30 per cent of our shelf is held under exclusive licence by one company and detailed exploration and drilling are being carried out in this area. The company have made a discovery of natural gas off the Cork coast in the Kinsale Head area and discussions are taking place about the possible utilisation of the gas should the field prove to be commercially exploitable. The remainder of our shelf area is being explored by about 50 holders of non-exclusive exploration licences and policy and procedures for the granting of exclusive facilities for this area are at present being formulated. Surveys carried out to date show that there are many promising structures in our shelf area which provide a strong basis for the hope that substantial oil and gas deposits will be found. Very extensive prospecting and drilling is, however, necessary before the presence of oil or gas in commercial quantities can be established and it takes three to four years to develop any commercial discovery made. In the long term, the discovery and development of a commercial oil or gas field could be of considerable help in easing our energy supply situation, but no relief could at present be expected from this source, having regard to the time taken to discover and develop a field.
The pace of economic advance is reflected in particular in the number of new industrial projects. Projects approved by the Industrial Development Authority in the financial year 1972-73 generated 14,139 jobs which was just over the target of 14,000 for the year. The total approved in the seven months period ended 31st October, 1973, was 7,900, that is, 49 per cent of the targeted 16,000 for the year. It is expected that by the end of December, the authority will have approved another 4,000 jobs and will have reached just short of 75 per cent of the target for 1973-74. The authority is confident that the job creation target for 1973-74 will be met, subject to all the uncertainties on the international front, which I have mentioned earlier.
One of the welcome features of activity in 1972-73 was the increased proportion of jobs created in existing industry. Out of the 14,139 jobs approved, 44 per cent were from domestic sources. The commitment of the Industrial Development Authority to the restructuring of Irish industry is demonstrated by the approval last year of £11 million in re-equipment grants to Irish firms. This trend is being continued this year, and during the period 1st April, 1973, to 31st October, the authority approved re-equipment grants totalling £9 million.
A second welcome feature of the year's outcome was the growing number of high technology industries coming to Ireland and opening up new opportunities for graduates, technicians and skilled workers. This is evidenced also by the greater capital investment per worker which was 70 per cent above the investment for the preceding year.
A further satisfactory outcome of the year's activities was the much better distribution of new industry across the country. The Industrial Development Authority regional plans see a marked shift of new job opportunities in favour of the four less-developed regions of Donegal, northwest, west and midlands. Job approvals in these areas during 1972-73 accounted for 29.2 per cent of new jobs approved compared with a targeted share of 20.6 per cent over the five years plan period.
Ireland's enhanced attraction as a manufacturing basis in the European Community has been the central theme of international promotion. The prospect of EEC entry stimulated the rapid acceleration of 60 per cent in job approvals by the Industrial Development Authority in new industry from the recession level of 1971-72. The decision of the Commission of the European Community earlier this year not to designate any part of Ireland as a central or developed area has removed uncertainty about our ability to offer the present package of industrial incentives throughout the State. Positive community decision has come at a good time, as there is now a notably greater European interest in Ireland as an attractive location for their projects, without the problems of congestion and labour shortages experienced in many of the major European industrial centres.
The industrial drive in the United States where the Industrial Development Authority is seeking projects to provide 6,000 jobs this year has been threatened by uncertainty deriving from the US Treasury tax proposals. The Minister for Industry and Commerce went to Washington last June and put the case for modifying the proposals to key figures in Congress and the Administration. It now seems unlikely that there will be any significant changes in the US foreign investment tax laws during the next year or so.
Notwithstanding the uncertainty surrounding US tax and our incentives during the summer months, the authority is now confident that US investment will continue to be a major component in overall industrial development in Ireland during our present five year programme. I may add that American projects accounted for 38 per cent of the jobs approved this year to date under the new industry programme.
During the three months ended March, 1973, there was a marked improvement in the level of inquiries from United Kingdom industrialists interested in establishing in Ireland. This was coupled with a major promotional campaign by the Industrial Development Authority at the end of the financial year 1972-73. During the seven months of the current financial year the authority approved 16 new United Kingdom projects involving a job potential of over 3,000 and an investment of £40 million. This, I may say, includes the Courtaulds project with potential employment of 1,800 and a capital investment of £35 million. I hope that the agreement reached at Sunningdale in the last week further improves the climate for investment by industrialists in our country.
For many years the basic problem in agriculture was to improve the economic and thus the social position of farmers and their families to enable them to share in the country's growing prosperity. Government intervention was necessary to support farm prices, reduce the cost of inputs and provide incentive schemes to promote increased production and efficiency.
The great improvement in farm prices which has taken place since our accession to the European Economic Community has greatly reduced the burden on the Exchequer and has enabled farmers to secure better incomes directly from the market. The operation of the EEC price system and the general advance of prices for agricultural production on world markets means that farm production can now be expanded without the traditional risk that increased production would result in reduced prices to producers or new restrictions in export markets. Farmers are feeling the effects of this in their pockets today and, in fact, their prices have been rising even faster than was anticipated. Fortunately for the country, they are taking advantage rapidly and wisely of these new prices and opportunities. They are reinvesting a high proportion of the increased earnings in their own farms for productive purposes. Of particular importance is the fact that they are extending their breeding herds at an impressive rate, a development which augurs well for future production of meat and milk and it is in such products that we expect our comparative advantage over other Community countries will lie.
Agriculture's remarkable progress is reflected in the figures. The volume of agricultural output last year increased by almost 4 per cent. The cattle breeding herd expanded by almost a quarter of a million. Agricultural prices were up by some 20 per cent and the increase this year is expected to be even higher. Agricultural exports were up by £36 million and a further large increase is expected this year. Farm income last year increased by more than one-third and it is projected that a further substantial increase will be achieved this year. This rise in income as well as improving the standard of living of the rural community as a whole, will greatly augment the resources available to farmers for new investment in their own holdings.
The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and the Minister for Lands, working with the European Economic Community will be particularly concerned with farm structure and development aspects of agriculture. In these sectors some of the more important objectives in the years ahead will be to direct new investment as far as possible to potentially viable and developing farms and to ensure that, as our agriculture becomes more intensive and more exacting, as much of our land as possible will be transferred to younger qualified farmers. Schemes which have been drawn up in pursuance of these objectives are at present being discussed with the authorities in Brussels and will be introduced very early in the new year. The Minister for Lands has announced recently the basic features of his proposed pension scheme for farmers under EEC directive 160. It is proposed to provide a life pension to farmers over 55 years of age who surrender their lands for the benefit of developing farmers. The pension will be £600 a year for a married farmer and £400 a year for a single farmer over that age. In addition, a substantial premium will be payable to all farmers who give up their lands for the same purposes. Another objective is to promote measures to sustain the viability of mountainous and other less favoured areas in accordance with the proposed programme recently approved in principle by the Council of Ministers and on which the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries displayed such extraordinary energy and determination.
The common agricultural policy of the EEC has been the subject of some criticism during the past year and of speculation as to how it might be reformed. We have firmly supported the decision adopted in the context of the multilateral trade negotiations that there should be no change in the basic principles of that policy and this remains the Government's view. This will also be our approach to the EEC Commission's recent suggestions for amending the policy which are at present being examined by member states.
While it is true that the people who benefit most immediately from the new agricultural situation are the farmers themselves, the community as a whole also stand to benefit immensely in our increasingly integrated society. It is Government policy to help and encourage this development in every way.
It would be inappropriate for me on this occasion to omit mention of the increases in the rates of social assistance and benefit announced by the Minister for Finance in his first budget. These increases granted in accordance with the Government's programme were larger in scale than any similar increases granted before in this country. Since then the Minister for Health and Social Welfare has announced further improvements and advances. In many instances they brought the rates of payment up to a level equal to, if not greater than, those operating in Northern Ireland and in Britain.
The Department of the Public Service was established as from the 1st November, 1973. Generally, the Department will deal with the terms and conditions of service and numbers of civil servants, automatic data processing in the public service, the pay and allowances of members of the Defence Forces, the terms and conditions of service of the Garda Síochána, teachers, civilian employees and industrial employees. It will also deal with fees and remuneration generally, for example, for consultants and members of the boards of State-sponsored bodies.
I need hardly mention that apart from work on the proposals of the Public Services Organisation Review Group, the Department, like many others, will have a considerable role to play in the measures to be taken for the establishment of a Council of Ireland.
The general function of the Government Information Services up to now has been to receive and process Press queries, requests for Ministerial interviews, and to distribute Government statements and ministerial speeches. There have been complaints from the media about delays in answering queries, and in the general availability of immediate authoritative comment on matters of current importance.
During the year 1972-73, the information services in my Department were seriously understaffed. This, in part, explains the delay and other difficulties which the media experienced. Another reason for the general position was that information activity as part of the Governmental process was not given a high enough priority, and, indeed, tended to be relegated to a peripheral position. Since assuming office, the Government have been reviewing the whole communications process with a view to the effective dissemination of Government policy both within Government and to the general public. We have decided that the employment of public relations services is not the most desirable way of dealing effectively with the making known of Government policy decisions. A communications process must form an integral part of Governmental structures. This process requires co-ordination and direction; co-ordination as between the Government Departments and direction from the Government. It is for this reason that, as I have already indicated, the general direction of Government information and publicity has been assigned to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. It is logical, however, that as the central information area, the Government Information Services should be situated close to the centre of Government, proximate to the Government secretariat.
The appointment of an Assistant Secretary in my Department to act as head of the Government Information Services is in line with this thinking. This will ensure a constant flow of information from the centre out. The positioning of the information services within my Department allows for the necessary co-ordination between the informational outputs of all Departments. The establishment of this co-ordination is currently in progress and, in relation to the foreign Press, there is a close working relationship between the Information Services and the Information Section in the Department of Foreign Affairs, an advantageous one let me say. The two Departments are currently examining how best our point of view can be disseminated abroad. As a result of a public advertisement some months ago, we have now filled the existing vacancies in the Government Information Services and have brought the service up to strength.
My Department have recently installed a telex service to facilitate the communication process, and a service is also available for journalists to file stories. We have also installed the services of the Press Association Wire Services to monitor world news.
The Government Information Services have been involved in a new approach to Government advertising, and an information manual will shortly be introduced within the public service which will be of assistance to civil servants in the preparation of material for distribution to the public. The whole question of the amount and type and efficacy of Government advertising is being looked into.
Our information policy is based on the belief that we must make our policies and decisions known as quickly and effectively as possible— it is part of our commitment to "open" government.
On an occasion like this when the major political and economic trends affecting our lives are being debated it has not been usual to turn to cultural affairs. Deputies will be aware of the proposals I have put forward for the reform of An Chomhairle Ealaíon, contained in the Arts Bill, 1973. The proposals in the Bill have been debated fully by both Houses and I do not intend to go in detail into them here. It will, I think, suffice for me to say that I intend the reconstituted council to be large enough and sufficiently representative of the different interests to make a worthwhile contribution to the development of the arts in Ireland.
I would now like to turn to the subject of reform of parliamentary procedures. This is a matter to which the Government have been giving particular attention since we assumed office. As Deputies are aware, an informal committee of the Dáil reported in December, 1972, on the reform of Dáil procedures. The recommendation of this committee relating to the rotation of the order of Ministers answering questions has been implemented already. The Government are in favour of the implementation of the other recommendation contained in the report. Two of the recommendations contained in the report are of particular importance. In order to ease the pressure on the time of the House, the Committee recommended that more Bills should be taken in special committee, these committees to be established on an ad hoc basis. The report stated that the Bills to be referred to special committees should be selected by the Whips. The Government would be anxious to see that, as a matter of principle, all Bills would be sent to special committees unless there was some valid reason to adopt the present practice for the Committee Stage of proposed legislation.
In addition, the Government have been considering suggestions which have been made in recent years that the establishment of more specialised select committees of the Dáil and Seanad should be proceeded with, with a view to giving the Oireachtas a greater role in certain areas of the economy. The Government would, for example, be disposed to favour the establishment of such a committee to examine and report on the activities of State-sponsored bodies. Members would, in this way, become more familiar with the operations of these bodies but there would be no question of parliamentary interference with their day-to-day management. These committees would have power to send for papers, persons and records, to take evidence in public and to employ expert advisors.
The other recommendation of the informal committee to which I would like to refer relates to the procedure to be followed for debating matters of urgent public importance. The criticism has been made in the past that, when urgent matters arise, the Dáil cannot readily address itself to them because of its pre-occupation with legislative and financial business and that, when these issues are widely discussed in the Press, on television and radio, it may appear to the public at large that the House is not concerned about them. The committee recommend that the Standing Order governing debate on such matters should be amended to facilitate, more readily, debate in the House on such issues. This amendment might also allow a Minister to make statements in the Dáil on matters of public interest or importance. The Government are anxious to see this recommendation implemented as soon as possible.
Finally, I would like to refer to the present system of election to the Seanad. Clearly, the system could be reformed in a number of respects and the Government would be anxious to see the matter examined. I do not wish to suggest that the reforms I have dealt with are the complete answer to the problems that confront a democratic institution such as ours in modern times. The Government believe, however, that these reforms are moves in the right direction. Their detailed implementation has been referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
This has been a good year. A great national step forward has been made in the Sunningdale agreement with the sole purpose of enabling Irishmen, no matter of what religion, to run their affairs. The agreement was made by putting aside past prejudices and refusing to allow illusory day dreams of the future to prevent all concerned from dealing with the realities of the present. The realities of the present are what matter. We cannot change the past, no more than we can form the ultimate shape of the future. We can and must do our duty in the present. I hope it will be possible in the future to say the same as I have said about the past year, that is, that it has been a good year. I hope it will always be possible to say the same.
