It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 3 and 7; in No. 7, Vote 41 (Supplementary Estimate) (resumed) and Vote 27.
Order of Business.
I wish to give notice of my intention to raise on the Adjournment the matter which I tried to raise two days ago, namely, the reported interception and recording of a private telephone conversation. I want to raise it in connection with its bearing on the investigation of a possible offence and in connection with the general security of the telephone service.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach or the Minister for the Environment when it is likely that the rent tribunals will be set up in view of the huge increases given in the courts to private landlords.
Obviously legislation is necessary before the tribunals can be set up. Presently we are preparing a memorandum for Government and I hope that in a matter of months, possibly by the end of this session, to have legislation before the Dáil.
I know I may not ask questions on the Order of Business. I assume the Minister realises the urgency of the matter. Members of this House thought that the existing legislation would be successful in overcoming the problem. However, the courts judge the matter on market value and all other considerations are being totally ignored.
I appreciate fully the urgency of this situation. With that in mind I am trying to get the matter before the Government at the earliest possible date.
I should like to raise a matter of extreme urgency concerning the residents of the inner city of Cork, for whom about 100 warrants have been issued to take them to jail for non-payment of parking fines. I should like to ask the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Justice what they propose to do about this matter. By-laws have been prepared and are with the Department for some time——
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
It is a very serious matter.
I do not dispute the seriousness of the matter but it is not in accordance with the rules of order to raise it now.
I appreciate that but——
If the Deputy appreciates it, then he should not raise it.
Recently we spoke about how we could not accommodate people in institutions——
I appeal to the Deputy to fall into line with the suggestion of the Chair that this is not in order. If the Deputy thinks about the matter he will probably find another way to raise it.
Will the Minister for Education state what she proposes to do about the number of children not attending——
The Deputy knows perfectly well that that is not in order.
Some of these children are doing the leaving certificate examination and the cannot attend school.
The Deputy will resume his seat.
In the past week I have tried on many occasions to raise this matter but without success.
The Deputy may not raise it by defying the Chair and by being disorderly. Has the Deputy a request to make?
I wish to know if it is intended to make time available to discuss the heroin problem. I have approached the Whips on this and I understand they are agreeable to make time available for a special debate on this subject.
The matter is under discussion between the Whips at present. I am sure they will be in a position to indicate their intentions and to inform Deputy Gregory in the near future.