It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 5 to 13 and No. 19. By agreement, at the conclusion of business today, the Dáil shall adjourn until 2.30 p.m, tomorrow. Private Members Business will be No. 84.
Order of Business.
I take it that it is agreed that the Dáil shall not sit until 2.30 p.m. tomorrow?
Will the Tánaiste say whether the Taoiseach is attending a meeting of what is known as the Bilderberg Group in New York State this weekend and, if so, in what capacity is the Taoiseach attending that meeting? Will the Tánaiste tell the House the date, venue and purpose of the meeting?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
Surely it does.
It does not arise on the Order of Business.
The Taoiseach is in the United States of America.
It does not arise on the Order of Business.
It has been started in the newspapers that he intends to be present at a meeting of this organisation, an organisation which is closely connected with NATO. If the Taoiseach is proposing to attend such a meeting in his capacity as Taoiseach it is a matter of which this House should be aware. The Bilderberg conference will be in New York State this weekend and our Taoiseach is proposing to attend it. Will the Tánaiste confirm if that is so and what is the purpose of the meeting?
I am sorry; I am ruling that that does not arise on the Order of Business. As a matter of fact, as far as I can recollect some time ago I ruled out a question that was submitted on this topic.
I am always prepared to accept your ruling on these matters but did the Chair advert to the very serious aspects of this in ruling me out of order? Surely the movements of the Taoiseach when he is not in this House and is out of the country on official business is a matter of which the House should be informed.
There may be another way of seeking that information, a way that would be in order. I do not know if that is so but certainly it is not in order at this time.
Will the Chair, as the person in control of our affairs here, give me a suggestion of a way in which the House can be made aware of exactly what the Taoiseach is doing in the United States and, in particular, if he is attending this NATO-associated conference?
I cannot. The Chair does not anticipate ways and means of doing things. The Chair rules as matters arise and is now ruling that this matter cannot be raised on the Order of Business. On assuming this Office I put on the record of the House what was in order and what would not be in order on the Order of Business and I am standing by that. In reaching that decision I was taking over a precedent established by my predecessors.
I shall have to find some other way of raising this very important issue.
If there is such a way I am sure the Deputy will find it.
I should like to ask the Tánaiste something else. If it was a fact that the Taoiseach was attending a NATO-associated conference in New York this weekend would the Tánaiste approve of the Taoiseach doing so? Would the Taoiseach be present at the conference in his capacity as a member of the Government?
That is a hypothetical question and it does not arise on the Order of Business. I have ruled that all this matter does not arise on the Order of Business.
Will the Tánaiste tell the House if the Government are aware of what is happening?
I am not allowing such questions.
Under any circumstances?
I am not allowing the matter to be raised in this way at this time. That is all I am saying.
The Taoiseach might be bringing us into NATO. Will the Chair allow for that?
The Deputy might find some other way of dealing with that but I am not allowing the matter to be raised on the Order of Business.
(Limerick West): In regard to promised legislation, I should like to ask the Tánaiste when we can expect the legislation on the proposed land tax?
I expect legislation on the proposed land tax to be published within a matter of weeks, certainly within the next two weeks, or sooner if possible.
(Limerick West): Will it be published in advance of the holding of the local elections?
The local elections will not be held until June.
(Limerick West): I asked the Tánaiste a question. Is Deputy O'Keeffe now taking over the role of Taoiseach?
One always has to watch one's back in this position.
And your front as well.
That is in Fianna Fáil. The legislation will be published as soon as it is ready for publication.
Will the Tánaiste indicate whether I will be allowed discuss No. 82 on today's Order Paper, the motion concerning the supplementary welfare allowances regulations? I put the motion down last week.
For about the fourth time I have to inform Deputy De Rossa that the motion referred to is a Private Members' motion and as such takes its place on the order of Private Members' motions. It might be of some assistance to the workings of the House if Private Members' motions which are no longer relevant were removed from the Order Paper.
Will the same apply to the Labour Party Conference?
The Deputy should mind his party and I shall mind mine.
The second Spring show.
After I have staved off three attempted coups I will talk to the Deputy about it.
I should like to remind the Tánaiste that this is the third occasion that he has replied to me, not the fourth. May I make the point that tomorrow is the last day when this can be debated? There will be no facility thereafter for the House to debate the regulations which the Minister is bringing in.
The Deputy should not pursue his request in this way.
Effectively, we are being denied the right to debate these regulations.
The Deputy has already made that point. I have a certain amount of sympathy with his complaint but there is simply nothing the Chair can do about it.
I am raising it again in the hope that the Government will be shamed into allowing a debate on the regulation.
The Deputy will have to find another way of raising the matter.
What other way is there?
I should like the permission of the Chair to raise the position of Anne Maguire, referred to in Question No. 365 on today's Order Paper, on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to ask the Tánaiste when the legislation for the national development corporation will be introduced in the House to enable both parties on the Government side to air their differences in the House as distinct from outside?
A secondhand joke.
We need to know.
The Deputy may ask the first part of the question but I will not allow him to make an argument. The matter was raised last week.
In relation to the Deputy's question, I should like to state that last week the House was informed that the heads of the Bill had been agreed. Obviously, the matter will now be dealt with in the appropriate manner. The Bill will be prepared and published as soon as possible.
I do not know what the Tánaiste means by the "appropriate manner". Does he mean by different statements from different Ministers in public? When will we have the legislation introduced?
The Deputy may raise that question at the appropriate time.
The Deputy is well aware that the heads of the Bill have to be elaborated on and the legislation approved by the Government and published.
When will it be brought before the House?
A Deputy
Before the Labour Party Conference next year.
In due course?
Will the Tánaiste, or the Minister for Communications, let the House know whether the Irish Continental Line, a profitable Irish shipping company, is being offered for sale to foreigners?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
For God's sake stop knocking me out. These are all matters affecting taxpayers and this House. I am getting shot to pieces every time I raise matters in the House that are of interest to the Irish taxpayers.
I am not trying to shout Deputy Wilson down. I would not be able to do that, but I can only allow matters to be raised that are in order. What the Deputy is trying to raise is not in order at this time.
Will the Chair agree that last week I tried to raise the matter of the B & I on two successive days? The Minister for Communications furtively, late at night, issued a statement and did not even have the courtesy of sending a copy of it to me. He emblazoned his policies all over the newspapers before the matter was discussed in the House.
The Deputy should not attack the Chair about that.
I am not attacking the Chair. Will the Chair suggest to the Tánaiste, and the Government, seeing that they have such an interest in accountants, receivers and liquidators, that we have a fully qualified accountant on this side of the House? Will they hand the whole show over to him?
A Deputy
Or an undertaker.
I am not prepared to suggest that to anybody.