It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 13. By agreement, No. 7 will be taken without debate and the Second and remaining Stages of Nos. 1 and 2 will be taken at 7 p.m. and the Order will then be resumed. There will be no interruption today for Private Members' Business.
Order of Business.
(Dublin Central): In view of the statement I made that I pointed out to the Government on 10th December that this contract was going abroad, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, the Minister for Finance, and the Minister for Local Government knew at that time that the contract was going abroad.
That is not true.
(Dublin Central): It is true.
So far as I am concerned it is not true.
(Dublin Central): Ask the factory in Navan.
The factory in Navan would not be there but for me.
(Interruptions.)
(Dublin Central): I give notice that I propose to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
And I hope it will not be refused.
The Chair will rule it out again.
I would be obliged if my question, No. 125, would be treated as written.
In respect of the Order of Business I should like to know why Nos. 1 and 2 appear on the Order of Business today with the request from the Government Chief Whip that the Second Reading be taken at 7 p.m. today when these Bills have just come into the possession of Members for the first time. I understand there was some contact between the Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and our spokesman on Foreign Affairs, Deputy O'Kennedy, but because Deputy O'Kennedy was attending the funeral of the mother of a colleague of his he was not present this morning to make contact with us. After the long recess we are asked to give a Second Reading to these Bills today and I should like an explanation for that.
I should also like to know why the amendment to the Anti-Discrimination (Employment) Bill, 1975 has not appeared. I should also like to know why the Juries Bill has not appeared. These are matters of urgent public importance, matters which we believe should have been attended to sooner particularly since the Minister for Lands announced, on behalf of the Minister for Labour, that the amendment to the Anti-Discrimination (Employment) Bill would be introduced on the first day of this session, That Minister also informed us that the Bill would probably be circulated during the recess. With regard to the Juries Bill——
That is in the Seanad.
Has it been circulated?
It will be circulated next week.
It is naïve to say that it is in the Seanad because the Seanad is not in session. This House is in session.
Is it in order to discuss here a Bill which will be introduced in the Seanad?
We had no knowledge that it was the intention to introduce it in the Seanad.
The Leader of the Opposition should ask members of his Party in the Seanad to keep him informed of what is happening up there.
It is another indication of the neglect of the Government to do their duty if this Bill is to be introduced in the Seanad. This House is in session and in a position to deal with this matter which is of urgent public importance. Without this legislation jury trials cannot take place on criminal matters and people are being remanded on bail or in custody without having their natural and fundamental right to a trial by jury. For the life of me I cannot understand why the Minister naïvely says this Bill is going to the Seanad when it is of such importance and urgency.
I should also like to know what has become of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill. This matter is causing grave public disquiet. This Bill has been available for many months but the Government have not pursued it in this House. Are the Government attending to their business in a proper and efficient manner? It seems to the country that they are not.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach whether he can indicate to the House the representations that have been made by this Government to the British Government in relation to Frank Stagg.
I have not received a reply from the Taoiseach but I should like to ask him if it would be possible to make time, or make a statement, in relation to the recently reported statement of the British Prime Minister, Mr. Wilson, in which he, in relation to the Six Counties, said this Government would not be found dead with that lot up there. Has anything been done about that statement?
I do not propose to make time or a statement.
(Interruptions.)
May I have a reply to the points I raised?
I should like to reply to the points made by the Leader of the Opposition with regard to Nos. 1 and 2 on the Order Paper. These two Bills are necessary in order to remedy legal deficiencies which stand in the way of our ratification of the Lomé Convention. There are two respects in which our existing legislation is an impediment, through things that are not in it, to ratification and ratification is a matter of urgency because most other countries have ratified the convention. It is important that ratification should take place by the end of the month because that will affect the date of the entering into effect of the convention. That is the reason for the urgency of the two Bills.
I am grateful for that explanation but I should like to point out that it is not unusual for the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek instant legislation from this House on many matters. As long as the Minister occupied the important and difficult position of President of the Council of Ministers of the EEC he had good reason for such a request but that period has long passed. I would have thought that the Department would have been in a position to prepare the necessary legislation in proper time. The Minister signed the Lomé Convention, in his capacity as President of the Council of Ministers of the EEC, more than six months ago but what has happened since?
These legal defects have emerged and the important thing is to remedy them so as not to hold up ratification. Ratification is taking place fairly rapidly and I understand that the only country outstanding, at present intends to take the legislative action necessary to enable it to ratify the convention by the end of the month. That is the reason for the urgency.
The Leader of the Opposition asked a number of questions about different pieces of legislation and he has been answered by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in relation to Nos. 1 and 2 and by the Minister for Justice in relation to another matter. In so far as the Anti-Discrimination (Employment) Bill is concerned the amending legislation is being drafted. In this connection, as the Deputy is probably aware, there are complications in respect of the terms of the Rome Treaty and that aspect is taking longer than anticipated.
Barry Desmond.
In so far as the Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill is concerned the Deputy will appreciate that there was considerable pressure on Dáil time in the last session but, if the Opposition will co-operate, we are most anxious to enact that measure as quickly as possible.
I compliment the manner in which the Taoiseach smiled at the disbelief expressed by our side of the House at the excuse he made.
I like to see a smile from the Opposition.
There are very few smiles around these days.
The Government side can even laugh at their own joke.