It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 8 and 9. By agreement the proceedings on item No. 8 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 1.30 p.m. today and the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment shall be called on to conclude not later than 1.15 p.m. Private Members' Business shall be No. 22.
Order of Business.
Are the arrangements for No. 8 agreed?
Yes. On the Order of Business, I should like to direct the attention of the Tánaiste to Motion No. 72 on the Order Paper in the name of our Chief Whip, Deputy Vincent Brady, to the effect that Dáil Éireann calls on the Government to respect the independence of the RTE Authority in the exercise of its statutory obligation to appoint a Director-General of RTE. May I ask the Tánaiste if it is proposed to give Government time for that motion in view of the very serious implications arising from the action by the Minister for Communications——
I will allow a question but not a speech.
I thank the Chair. It is very nice of him.
I assume that Motion No. 72 will take its place with the other motions on the Order Paper and that after discussion between the Whips it will be discussed in due course.
I am sure the Tánaiste is not unaware of the fact that the action of the Minister for Communications in extra-statutory interference with the affairs of a State company is a matter of great importance——
I cannot allow a speech on this.
I am not making a speech.
We had this for an hour yesterday.
This matter is of great public concern and there is a great deal of disquiet about the Minister's actions. There are very fundamental issues involved here. In view of that and of the many protestations of this Government about making this House more relevant and giving it the capacity to deal with current issues——
What about the meeting on Friday last——
The Deputy should have a little manners.
The Deputy is making a speech and that is not in order.
Will the Tánaiste not acknowledge that it would be good parliamentary business to give Government time for this motion or is it the position that the Government are not prepared to give Government time for any Opposition proposal of this kind?
I cannot allow this to continue. The Deputy is making a speech.
Perhaps the Tánaiste would at least answer my question. It is very important.
(Interruptions.)
As the Leader of the Opposition has seen fit to bring up this matter on the Order of Business, I would point out that as this motion is a Private Members' Motion — one of about 50 such motions — it is now a matter to be discussed by the Whips.
Do I take it the Tánaiste is prepared to give Government time if the Whips can agree?
It is a Private Members' Motion and should be discussed by the Whips.
It is not necessarily a Private Members' Motion. We put it down as a motion, something of concern to Members of the House.
It cannot be discussed on the Order of Business. I have allowed the Deputy a fair innings on the matter.
I understand and I appreciate that. Before I sit down, may I protest that the Government are not prepared to allow Government time for a matter of fundamental importance, one of grave public import. This makes a mockery of the Government's purported statement about reform of this House.
I will not allow the Deputy to proceed on those lines. I am calling Deputy De Rossa.
Are the Government afraid of this issue?
I will allow the Government's Chief Whip to reply if he wishes.
(Dún Laoghaire): I admire Deputy Haughey's acting this morning. He is doing very well. He knows very well from his Whip that we discussed this matter yesterday——
No, we do not.
(Dún Laoghaire): I said to the Fianna Fáil Whip we would give time to debate this issue, not necessarily by way of a motion. I told him we would give time, as we have always given time, to discuss all issues that come up in this House. It is wrong to say we are denying the Opposition time to debate this issue.
Then let us have it today.
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Haughey asked a question and got a reply. I wish Deputies on all sides of the House would show some respect for the office of the Chair. When the Chair stands up there should be silence. Deputy Haughey asked a question at some length and the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach answered.
The Tánaiste gave a reply that seemed to indicate that our motion——
I suggest the matter be left to the Whips.
Let me make a statement. The Tánaiste has given a reply which seemed to indicate that our motion has gone into Private Members' Time and must be taken in Private Members' Time.
This is very tiresome.
I am seeking clarification. I gather from the Chief Whip that if some other mechanism can be arranged between the Whips whereby this issue can be brought immediately before the House, that will be considered. Is that the position?
This has always been the position.
We have made progress.
I am calling item No. 1.
The man who is the cause of all the problems is not here this morning. He is pushing that poor fellow out in front and he does not know what he is doing.
Order, please.
May I respectfully——
Deputy Reynolds will behave himself.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of order, could you give me guidance——
That is not a point of order. I am calling Deputy De Rossa.
If that is your attitude to the way the Opposition are trying to get to the truth of a major cover-up by the Minister for Communications——
Deputy Reynolds will resume his seat.
He issued a directive to stop the appointment of the director-general of RTE.
If Deputy Reynolds does not resume his seat he will have to leave the House.
The handlers are running this country, and the sooner the people realise that the better.
Deputy Reynolds is doing his best to bring this House into disrepute.
I will stand up for democracy in this House. I was elected to this House and I will not see democracy denied——
Deputy Reynolds will resume his seat.
That is a straightforward allegation. Four handlers are running this country.
Deputy Reynolds will resume his seat. I am calling Deputy De Rossa.
This is an non-political appointment——
If Deputy Reynolds does not behave himself I will have to ask him to leave the House.
You started it. I am an easy going fellow.
You will withdraw that remark.
I will withdraw it if you feel hurt.
The Government have been promising legislation on company law for some time and I ask the Taoiseach if he can tell us how many Bills dealing with companies are being introduced and if they will be introduced before the recess.
A Deputy
Cluskey's law.
The Deputy would not like it if it was.
I believe legislation in relation to the company Bill will be brought forward within a matter of months.
On the Adjournment, I wish to raise the question of the potential air pollution from the Moneypoint power plant.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I want to ask the Minister for Communications if he will state what statutory authority he had to issue a directive to RTE and if he will confirm the letter——
That is not in order. This was discussed for an hour yesterday. The Deputy will resume his seat.
I want to know if he will place the directive in the Library of the House.
Deputy Leyden will resume his seat.
What proposals has the Minister for Agriculture to protect the interests of small milk producers or potential new——
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
These people are in big trouble.
The Deputy will have to find some other way of raising this matter.
They find themselves having to pay large sums by way of levy——
I must protect the House if Deputies continue to ignore the Chair. That matter does not arise on the Order of Business.
Does the Minister propose to introduce legislation to protect——
That does not arise either.
Since I have failed to get an answer to my question, may I raise it on the Adjournment?
I will communicate with the Deputy.