Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 May 1986

Vol. 366 No. 4

Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take Nos. 7, 8, 9, 28 and 29. By agreement, the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and not later than 11.30 p.m. and business shall be interrupted at 11 p.m. Also by agreement, the procedings on Nos. 7, 8, 9 and the remaining stages of No. 28 if not previously concluded shall be brought to a conclusion today in accordance with the following timetable:

Proceedings	Time at which Questions shall be put
Nos. 7, 8 and 9	4.15 p.m.
No. 28 — Report Stage Amendments to pages 1-19 of the Bill	4.30 p.m.
Amendments to pages 20-24 of the Bill	4.45 p.m.
Amendments to pages 25-37 of the Bill	5 p.m.
Amendments to pages 38-47 of the Bill	5.30 p.m.
Remaining Amendments	6.15 p.m.
Final Stage	6.45 p.m.

and where proceedings are to be concluded at a stated time, they shall be concluded 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.

Also by agreement, the proceedings on the remaining stages of No. 29 if not previously concluded shall be brought to a conclusion at 11 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 Industry and Commerce.

Private Members' Business shall be No. 54, Motion 69.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for today's business agreed? Agreed?

Mr. J. O'Leary

Could the Taoiseach state what plans the Government have to provide interest free loans for hoteliers and tourism interests in Kerry and the south west——

An Ceann Comhairle

You will have to raise this in some other way.

Mr. J. O'Leary

They have failed to provide a car ferry service into Cork this year.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is out of order.

Mr. J. O'Leary

The Taoiseach is willing to reply——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am ruling it out of order.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

I will do my best to facilitate the Deputy when he is in order but I cannot allow him to continue in this way.

Mr. Wilson

We did not have half enough time for questions.

Mr. J. O'Leary

I wish to raise this matter on the Adjournment.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Dr. O'Hanlon

I submitted a Private Notice Question to the Minister for Health asking him if there was any risk for persons travelling to Eastern Europe ——

An Ceann Comhairle

And the Ceann Comhairle ruled it out of order.

Dr. O'Hanlon

Yes, on the basis that the Minister had no responsibility in this matter. It is a disgrace that the Minister should abrogate his responsibility ——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy cannot raise it in this manner.

Dr. O'Hanlon

Surely the Minister has definite responsibilities ——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is now questioning the Chair's ruling in a disorderly way and I must ask him not to continue ——

Dr. O'Hanlon

I am not questioning your ruling but I want to know why the Minister for Health has abrogated his responsibilities.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Chair has ruled the matter out of order.

Mr. B. Ahern

Is it the intention of the Government to bring in legislation to set up the national lottery?

The Taoiseach

Yes.

Mr. B. Ahern

Has that legislation been drafted? It is a matter of deep concern to the 130 people in the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes who have now been out of work for six months.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will allow that question to be answered.

The Taoiseach

Legislation is being prepared and will be introduced and I hope passed in this session.

Mr. Wilson

Have the Government any plans to amend the tour operator and travel agents' Act to allow the first fund which existed before the new fund was set up under the Act to help people who have prepaid holdiays to Eastern Europe this summer because they are being forced by the tour operators ——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should ask a question.

Mr. Wilson

It is a question of amending the legislation.

An Ceann Comhairle

As far as I know, there is no promise to amend the legislation.

Mr. Wilson

There is a fund in existence which has not been called on which could be used instead of forcing people to lose money or to go somewhere where their health will be in danger.

An Ceann Comhairle

I cannot allow this matter to be raised in this way. I wish to remind Deputies that the Finance Bill has only a limited time available to it.

Mr. Lenihan

On a matter of general public interest, will the Taoiseach indicate when the recent census reports are likely to be collated and published? Does he anticipate that these figures will enable the Government to make a precise assessment of our emigration position——

An Ceann Comhairle

That does not arise on the Order of Business. The Deputy should obey the Chair.

Mr. Leyden

Does the Taoiseach propose to introduce a Bill, as a matter of urgency, to control the distribution and sale of video films?

An Ceann Comhairle

That was not promised as far as I know and it is not in order to raise it.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should read Standing Orders.

Mr. Leyden

I understand that the Labour Party are introducing a Bill this week——

An Ceann Comhairle

The matter cannot be raised in this way.

Mr. Leyden

A Bill is being introduced this week.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Leyden will resume his seat.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

If Deputy Leyden does not resume his seat the Chair has certain powers.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Leyden

I asked the Taoiseach a straightforward question—

An Ceann Comhairle

I am ordering you to resume your seat.

Mr. Leyden

You are restricting me.

Mr. G. Brady

Could I raise on the Adjournment the recent running aground of a nuclear submarine in the Irish Sea?

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Leyden

On a point of order regarding videos——

Minister for Justice (Mr. Dukes)

The Deputy is a bit of a video nasty himself.

Mr. Leyden

The Minister is responsible for these matters and I regard his remark as totally irresponsible. He has no idea of the difficulties created by these films——

An Ceann Comhairle

I order the Deputy to resume his seat and to remain seated.

Mr. Leyden

I wish to ask a question——

An Ceann Comhairle

I have ruled it out of order. I will give the Deputy one more chance and if he intervenes again I will order him to leave the House.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Kirk

Will the Minister for Agriculture make a statement on the present position in regard to the sale of Irish vegetables——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy knows perfectly well that he is out of order.

Mr. Kirk

In the wake of the bad spring——

An Ceann Comhairle

I will not allow the same latitude to Deputy Kirk that I gave to other Deputies because he knows he is out of order.

Mr. Kirk

It is a perfectly reasonable question.

An Ceann Comhairle

If the Deputy does not resume his seat I will order him to leave the House. Deputy Kirk will leave the House now. I have ordered him to leave the House.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. V. Brady

The Chair has been less then lenient on this occasion because not long ago he adjourned the House rather than order another Deputy out of the House.

An Ceann Comhairle

On that occasion there was complete disorder. I ask the Taoiseach to name Deputy Kirk and to move his suspension.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

I take it that Deputy Kirk has left the House for the day in accordance with the wishes of the Chair.

Mr. Leyden

I wish to raise on the Adjournment a very serious issue in relation to the sale and distribution of video films which are uncontrolled——

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.