It is proposed to take Items Nos. 3, 8, 9, 10 and 11. Private Members' Business will be No. 19 (resumed).
Order of Business.
I would like, Sir, to seek your advice on one level and your permission to attempt to raise in some form or another the closure of the Storage Technology plant in Finglas. It was ruled out of order both as a Private Notice Question yesterday and on request for time on the Adjournment, with an indication that there were precedents which indicated that it could not be done. However, there were also precedents——
I cannot hear you, Deputy Flaherty. If you have any trouble about finding some way about raising this matter within Standing Orders I would refer you to a study of Standing Orders. If you would like a short cut, if you come to my office either I or some member of my staff will discuss the matter with you. A liquidator has been appointed there and it is not in order to raise this matter in the way that it was sought to raise it yesterday and today.
Would it be possible to raise the implications for the Government's industrial policy arising out of——
I have advised Deputy Flaherty to come to my office. I am not going to discuss it further now.
On a point of order, let me offer the advice to Deputy Flaherty that the appropriate place to go is to the Minister of her party who is responsible for industrial policy. There seems to be a breakdown in the Fine Gael back-benches.
(Interruptions.)
I am calling Deputy Mac Giolla.
Could the Taoiseach tell us when the Minister for Justice will be reporting back to the House on what has become known as the Kerry baby case? He promised us that he would come back to us. That was over a month ago.
I did not hear that.
Please repeat your question, Deputy.
When will the Minister for Justice be reporting back to the House on what became known as the Kerry baby case? He said he would come back to us to let us know what was occurring in the process of the Garda investigation.
He will do so at the appropriate time.
Will it be soon, has the Taoiseach any idea?
I cannot say offhand but I would say shortly.
With your permission, Sir, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the matter of Coolmine Community School where 127 pupils have been sent home due to the adverse pupil-teacher ratio.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy O'Rourke.
With your permission, Sir, I would like to raise on the Adjournment the plight of 363 workers in Storage Technology Products, Finglas, who without any notice lost their employment last Friday evening. I want to raise on the Adjournment that matter and the question of the State investment in that company.
I will communicate with Deputy Tunney.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the present position regarding a submission to the EC for an extension of severely handicapped areas.
I do not think that that arises on the Order of Business.
Can the Taoiseach inform the House when we can expect to see the Bill which contains proposals for the reform of local government?
I cannot really answer that question. I would say that the Bill will be available at latest by the beginning of next session. It is hoped that information on the Government's proposals will be available in advance of that.
Is the Taoiseach aware that information regarding the Government's proposals seems to be generally available amongst certain Members of the House——
I have allowed the question but I will not allow an argument or debate.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the proposals circulating——
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
These proposals which are supposed to be contained in the Government document——
The matter has not been discussed yet by the Government.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the document circulating among Labour Party members?
I have seen some extraordinary speculation in the papers.
With your permission, Sir, I would like to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the extension of the natural gas pipeline to Drogheda and Dundalk.
I will communicate with Deputy Kirk.
Will the Minister for Health and Social Welfare carry out an investigation into the delays of payment of social assistance——
It does not arise on the Order of Business.
(Interruptions.)
I am asking the Minister to carry out an investigation——
The Deputy will have to do it in accordance with certain procedure.
He has asked permission to raise it on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with Deputy Wallace.
I ask your permission to raise on the Adjournment the question of what steps the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism is taking to find a replacement industry for the 350 jobs and the £3 million investment lost in the liquidation of Storage Technology.
Are you seeking to raise it on the Adjournment?
I am seeking to raise it on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with Deputy Flaherty.
I wish to seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the announcement by the authorities that they cannot make safe the railway crossing in Oranmore, the scene of two deaths recently, for a further two years.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy Fahey.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Questions Nos. 560 and 642 on the Order Paper of 24 October and 31 October respectively, both addressed to the Minister for Justice.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy Brady.
I should like to raise a matter of clarification of the record of the proceedings of a committee. Apparently, the comments I made at a meeting of the Committee on Public Expenditure yesterday are interpreted as being a comment critical of all politicians.
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
My comments were in respect of a certain Minister, Deputy Fitzpatrick, of the Coalition Government, that as a consequence of his decision money had been wasted. It was his decision and not that of anybody else.
The Deputy will have to find another platform for those statements.