It is proposed to take No. 18. Private Members' Business shall be No. 35.
Order of Business.
I wish to seek a little clarification from the Taoiseach on the statement issued by the Government last evening. With reference to the meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference yesterday the statement was that the meeting adjourned to enable certain things to be done, that it would resume very shortly, that the Government would now await the response of the British Government and would report to the Dáil as soon as practicable after the conclusion of the adjourned meeting.
Can the Taoiseach tell us whether that means that after the adjourned meeting has resumed, which I understand is to be early next week, the Taoiseach will arrange for the Dáil to be informed of the results? Can he further tell us whether it would be his intention following that meeting to take the matter up further with the UK Prime Minister at the European Summit next week and if he would make an appropriate arrangement to keep the Dáil further informed after that?
In view of the gravity of these issues, it is my wish to report to the Dáil as fully as possible at the earliest possible date and to give the Dáil an opportunity of debating the issues at whatever length it would wish. Therefore, it would be my intention to facilitate Members of the House in every way possible and to that end I intend to keep in touch with the party Leaders during the course of the next few days. The meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference which was adjourned yesterday will resume early next week and I would imagine that the best thing then would be to have immediately after or as soon as possible after that a debate or discussion here in the Dáil but, as I have said, I would like to keep in touch with the party Leaders to keep them informed of developments. If there is any change of intention by the Government in regard to any of these matters I will let the party Leaders know.
May I take it that the Taoiseach is not ruling out a further discussion on the matter in the margin of the European Summit next week and, if necessary, a further discussion in the Dáil following that meeting?
Deputy Dukes may take it that I am not ruling out anything at this stage which would be of assistance in the matter.
On a point of clarification, may I take it that it is not intended to combine Anglo-Irish relations and the outcome of the Summit in whatever statements might be made to the House? I trust that would not be the Taoiseach's intention and that the report of the Summit in respect of European affairs will be kept separate.
I think that would be advisable. It would be very necessary to keep Anglo-Irish relations in one category and to keep a discussion of European affairs separate.
(Limerick East): I would like to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the closure of Barrington's Hospital.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I rise, in unusual circumstances on the Order of Business, to say something to the Taoiseach which might be unusual coming from the Opposition benches. I want to say "thank you" to him for allocating a sum of money to relieve the plight of our beleaguered islanders on Cape Clear.
Yesterday I tried to raise by means of an emergency question the plight of a young Cork boy who was sent home from the Children's Hospital in Crumlin because of the hospital being unable to meet the demand for heart operations. You ruled my question out of order——
I am aware of that.
——because, you said, the Minister has no control over admissions to the hospital. However, since Professor Ward of that hospital described the situation——
I have conveyed my decision to the Deputy. If he wishes to bring the matter further he may do so through the ordinary channels available to him.
May I ask the Minister to intervene personally in this appalling case?
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the crisis now existing in adult literacy and adult education programmes in Dublin city because of the failure of the Department of Education to settle the VEC budgets for the present year.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
In regard to a question which I put down yesterday and which you refused, saying it was a matter for RTE, I would like to state that a precedent had been set when another State company, the Sugar Company in Tuam, was discussed in this House. I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of my question.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Can the Taoiseach tell us when it is hoped to have the Adoption Bill through the Seanad and brought into this House? It has been in the Seanad, awaiting Committee Stage, since last summer.
The Seanad is very independent in the conduct of its affairs but I will talk to our Whip there to see if the Bill can be expedited.
Can the Taoiseach tell us when the Tobacco Bill and the Children Bill will be brought before the House?
They are with the parliamentary draftsmen at present.
Will we have them this session?
This century? Oh, yes.
They were promised for this session.
I will ask the Whip to communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment, for the third time, the Dublin Fire Brigade dispute.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Can the Taoiseach tell us when it is envisaged introducing the legislation on An Foras Talúntais which was promised on 1 December?
It is imminent.
Can the Taoiseach tell us whether the Government have any intention of bringing forward legislation concerning the funding of local authorities for the abolition of local charges which was promised before the election?
The Deputy should raise that matter at some other time.