It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 3, 12 (resumed), 13, 5 and 16; business will be interrupted at 12 noon to take Nos. 5 and 16. Private Members' Business from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. will be item No. 30 (resumed).
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business, will the Taoiseach tell the House briefly what is the hurry about item No. 13? Why is it intended to enact this controversial legislation before the recess?
Arising out of the purchase of the Whitegate oil refinery it is imperative that this legislation be brought into force to make certain that the sale of off-take products from the Whitegate oil refinery will be assured.
What the Minister means is that he is in a hurry to enact legislation that will force companies to buy products they do not want to buy or at a price which they think is too high. What is the urgency about this legislation?
Deputy Hegarty who is sitting beside the Deputy probably could inform him of the situation. Deputy Kelly should be well aware that the previous Government took a decision in principle to buy the Whitegate oil refinery and this was finalised by this Government. The refinery will be ready to come on-stream in August and that is the reason for the legislation.
I support the Minister fully.
(Dún Laoghaire): With the permission of the Chair, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the Housing Finance Agency. I tried to do this on a previous occasion and was not successful and I request permission to raise it on the Adjournment today.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
When will the Minister for Health indicate to the health boards that they will have approval for the issue of medical cards to pensioners of 66 years and upwards, as we were told would be done?
That is a matter for a Dáil question.
I should like to inquire briefly from the Minister if he will explain to the House what is the necessary connection, as distinct from what his Department think desirable, between the purchase of Whitegate and this law which, for the first time——
We cannot have a debate on this matter. It will arise later and the Deputy will have an opportunity to discuss it then.
That will be too late.
I am calling item No. 1.