It is proposed to take No. 16.
Order of Business.
In the absence of the Minister for Education I should like to ask the Taoiseach if the Minister for Education will be coming before the House in the course of this debate to answer the 16 or so important questions I put to her yesterday in an effort to find the policy decisions behind the figures in the Estimate which have not been announced by the Minister and which should be announced in the House.
I am calling Deputy Spring.
May I have an answer to my question?
I should like to remind the Chair that the Taoiseach informed me at the beginning of this debate that he would use his best endeavours to ensure that all Ministers fully answered all the questions. Deputy Hussey's question is one that deserves an answer in the context of that assurance.
What I said was that I would ensure that Ministers would participate in the debate and explain fully the position in regard to their Estimates.
Will the Taoiseach, or the Minister for Foreign Affairs, make a statement in the House to help clear up the confusion which has arisen after yesterday's meeting in Belfast? Arising from that meeting we had a series of statements, and counter-statements, which caused confusion and the Taoiseach, or the Minister for Foreign Affairs, should make a statement to clarify matters.
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
Will the Minister for Justice, or the Taoiseach, ensure that the Garda will fully investigate all the circumstances of the land deals as outlined on the RTE programme "Today Tonight" involving non-nationals and a firm of solicitors? Our legal system has been used to rip off innocent people and the Minister for Justice, for the sake of justice——
This is quite out of order. The Deputy must desist and if he persists he knows the consequences. The Deputy must resume his seat.
People are being ripped off and surely the House should take note of what is happening.
I am calling on the Deputy to resume his seat.
This is a disgrace and surely somebody should answer if people are being ripped off.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the 40,000 people entitled to receive fuel scheme vouchers in Dublin city this week will not get them until close to the middle of November? Will the Taoiseach indicate the steps the Department of Social Welfare are taking to ensure that those people get their vouchers?
This is a matter which is not relevant to the business before the House.
I should like permission to raise this issue on the Adjournment.
I shall communicate with the Deputy.
(Limerick East): I should like to ask the Taoiseach if there is a possibility that his Government will introduce a budget before Christmas or if it will be introduced at the traditional time?
We are doing very well at the moment.
(Limerick East): The Government are ahead of schedule and I was wondering if they are going to keep up the pace. Will the budget be introduced at the traditional time?
I will try to think of some suitable Christmas present.
(Limerick East): The House will be very dull if the Taoiseach does not pull something like that before Christmas. Can we have a commitment from the Taoiseach that either by order or otherwise he will not move to increase taxation in advance of budget day? I believe I am in order in asking that question and I would like a reply.
I do not think the question is in order but I could not give any such commitment.
That sounds ominous.
Nor would the Deputy if he was in my position.
(Limerick East): I do not have any ambition at all in that regard. Am I correct in saying we may have excise increases before budget day?
I should like to ask the Taoiseach to indicate to the House when he intends to bring forward for ratification the Convention for the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. The Taoiseach will be aware that there is a backlog of between 40 and 50 Irish persons serving sentences in England who wish to qualify for transfer under that Convention and that it has been calculated that there will be between ten and 15 annually thereafter.
I would have to have notice of that question.
The Taoiseach promised on a number of occasions in the House, following the explosion at Raglan House, that the Government would bring in legislation and by-laws to deal with such matters. I should like to ask the Taoiseach if the Bill which was recently circulated is meant to cover the recommendations in that report or if further legislation will be introduced?
Further legislation will be introduced shortly.
When might we expect that legislation because the word "shortly" has been appearing on the record of the House for the last 12 months?
The intention is to introduce it this session.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he proposes to introduce legislation to amend the solicitors' Act so as to give lay representation on the Incorporated Law Society investigation committee because, obviously, their role as was outlined in the programme last night on television has been a disgraceful one.
Has this been promised?
It was promised in the past.
I am not aware that it was.
Legislation was almost ready when the last Government left office. I should like to ask the Taoiseach if the Government propose to amend the solicitors' Act?
I should like to remind the House that legislation was promised. The Minister for Justice indicated some time ago in the House that he would be bringing forward that legislation.
If the Leader of the Opposition is right in that I will communicate with him about it.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the continued insistence of the southern branch of the Irish section of the Royal Town Planning Institute of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on demanding co-equal representation at the forthcoming Council of European Planning Institutes in defiance of the clear status of the Irish Planning Institute and the consequent inaction of the Department of the Environment as regards signalling clearly which institute should represent this country.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Will the Taoiseach consider ordering today's business in such a way as to allow for statements mentioned earlier by Deputy Spring?
The matter which Deputy Spring raised is not in order now. There are ways open to Deputies to raise it.
I asked the Taoiseach to order business so that we could see to what extent those statements could elicit a sense of solidarity in this House——
I cannot allow Members to elaborate on the matter now.
It is an urgent and pertinent issue.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the employment and payment of a woodwork teacher in Lismore, County Waterford.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to raise on the Adjournment the failure to bring into use the CAT scanner at Galway Regional Hospital and the ensuing hardship to patients in the Western Health Board area.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the delay in admitting to St. Luke's Hospital, Highfield Road, Dublin, cancer patients in need of urgent attention.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the closure of 80 public beds at St. Michael's public voluntary hospital, Dún Laoghaire and the fact that permission was given for 60 private beds at the Blackrock Clinic.
I will communicate with the Deputy.