Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Feb 1986

Vol. 363 No. 11

Order of Business.

The Tánaiste

It is proposed to take Nos. 21, 22, 23 and 24. By agreement, the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and not later than 11 p.m. and business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m.

Also by agreement, the proceedings on the remaining Stages of item 21 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 1.30 p.m. today by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for Communications.

Also by agreement, the proceedings on the remaining Stages of item 23 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 7 p.m. today by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for Finance. Private Members' Business shall be No. 48.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is it agreed that we have a late sitting today and are the arrangements for taking business agreed?

Mr. O'Malley

They are not agreed. I did not agree to the guillotine which is described now as agreement to complete all Stages of the Air Transport Bill by 1.30 p.m. with only amendments in the name of the Minister for Communications being taken. I was not informed that there was any such proposal. It is wrong that this Bill, which necessarily has had to be debated over a long period and to which a huge number of amendments have been made by the Minister as a result of various points I have made on the legislation in the past two years, should be killed off in this way. It is inappropriate that the Bill should be guillotined in this fashion, whether by ostensible agreement or otherwise.

An Ceann Comhairle

May I take it that the arrangement for the late sitting is agreed? Agreed. I am putting the Question: "That the proceedings on the remaining Stages of item No. 21 shall be brought to a conclusion not later than 1.30 p.m. today by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for Communications."

Mr. O'Malley

Why is the Minister not replying to the points I have made?

Minister for Communications (Mr. J. Mitchell)

I have been replying for the past two years.

Mr. O'Malley

Is the guillotine a democratic manner of reply?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should allow the Chair put the question. He should not interrupt the Chair when the question is being put.

Minister for Finance (Mr. Dukes)

The Deputy has a short memory.

Question put.

An Ceann Comhairle

On that question a division has been challenged. Will those who are demanding a division please rise?

Deputies O'Malley and Wyse rose.

An Ceann Comhairle

As fewer than ten Deputies have risen, in accordance with Standing Orders the arrangements for taking item No. 21 are agreed. In accordance with Standing Orders the names of Deputies dissenting will be recorded in the Journal of Proceedings of the Dáil. Are the arrangements for taking No. 23 agreed? Agreed.

Mr. Lyons

May I raise on the Adjournment the proposed closure of the Cork Municipal School of Art?

Mr. B. Ahern

We have gone through this procedure in the past and I have commented on it: it seems crazy that on the question that the House should sit late tonight, you put the question and then we had to wait 15 or 20 minutes before you asked Deputies seeking a division to rise. Could that question not have been put at the beginning? Could I put it on the agenda and have it raised?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy can. Any member of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges may apply for a matter to be put on the agenda.

Mr. Wilson

Would the Tánaiste tell us when legislation will be brought before the House to make the £43 million provision for the restructuring of the B & I Company?

The Tánaiste

Whatever legislation is necessary will be brought before the House promptly.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

I ask for permission to raise on the Ajournment a matter of urgency, the radio therapy unit in Cork Regional Hospital.

An Ceann Comhairle

Without further comment, I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. R. Burke

On the Order of Business, I protest about the manner of the refusal to allow questions which are listed as priority questions in circumstances where if there was sufficient time an alternative question could be transferred into the list of priority questions.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. R. Burke

Because of the short notice I got from the Chair, this morning for example on one question and yesterday on another, it was impossible to transfer questions and we are losing priority questions.

An Ceann Comhairle

I know that Deputy Ray Burke has a very strong voice but he should not use it to shout down the Chair. I know there is a difficulty here arising from the order which the House made. If the Deputy wants to have that corrected he should follow the example set by Deputy Bertie Ahern and bring it before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

Mr. R. Burke

I will, but it is very difficult to understand how the Chair can rule out a question which asked if the Minister would indicate how he expects——

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Ray Burke is not in order.

Mr. R. Burke

——in view of the cutbacks announced in the budget.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy will resume his seat.

Mr. Allen

I seek permission to raise for the fourth time the question of the recent accidents in Windscale.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. B. Ahern

Will the Minister for the Environment say when the Bill announced on the first day of the session last October, the Special Development Authority Bill dealing with the inner city, will be circulated?

An Ceann Comhairle

Has the Bill been promised?

Mr. B. Ahern

It was promised in the House by the Taoiseach on the first day of the session.

Minister for Energy (Mr. Spring)

It is hoped that the Bill will be introduced in this session or certainly in the next session.

Proinsias De Rossa

You only have to change the name of it.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Kavanagh)

We have not.