Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take Nos. 7, 8, 15, 9, 10 and 11. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and business shall be interrupted at 11.30 p.m. It is further proposed that Nos. 7 and 8 shall be taken without debate. It is further proposed that No. 15 shall be taken between 10.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

It is further proposed that Nos. 9, 10 and 11 shall be taken together for the purposes of debate and the proceedings, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.30 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) The speech of the main spokesperson nominated by each of the groups as defined in Standing Order No. 89, shall not exceed 20 minutes;

(b) The speech of each other Member called on shall not exceed 15 minutes and the concluding speaker on behalf of the Government shall be called on not later than 11.20 p.m. and shall not exceed 10 minutes.

Private Members' Business shall be No. 28.

An Ceann Comhairle

May I ask if the proposal for the late sitting is agreed? Agreed.

May I ask if the proposal that No. 7 be taken without debate is agreed? Agreed.

May I ask if the proposal that No. 15 be taken between 10.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. is agreed? Agreed.

May I ask if the proposals for dealing with Nos. 9, 10 and 11 are agreed?

Proinsias De Rossa

Those proposals are not agreed for the reasons I stated yesterday and on previous occasions. I wish to propose that the proposal that "the speech of the main spokesperson nominated by each of the groups, as defined in Standing Order No. 89, shall not exceed 20 minutes," be amended with the deletion of, "as defined in Standing Order No. 89". I have made my reasons clear previously as to why I am proposing that. I regard it as a petty discrimination against The Workers' Party who are a registered political party. Deputies of this party have been elected to this House and they should be accorded the same rights as other parties in the House.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am accepting the amendment indicated by the Deputy.

The question is: "That the words proposed to be deleted stand". On that question a division has been challenged. Will the Members who claim the Division please rise in their places?

Deputies De Rossa, Kemmy, Mac Giolla, McCartan and Sherlock rose in their places.

As fewer than ten Members have risen in their places I declare the question carried.

An Ceann Comhairle

The names of the Members who rose in their places will be recorded in the Journal of Proceedings of the Dáil.

Mr. Dukes

I am sure, Sir, you will hold me to be in order if, on the Order of Business, I briefly extend my congratulations and my best wishes to the newly appointed Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, Mr. Eugene Crowley, who I gather is to take up that post at the beginning of next week. I wish, too, to record the thanks of my party to the outgoing Commissioner, Mr. Eamon Doherty, for the service he has given to the force and to the community.

The Taoiseach

I will be happy to convey those remarks in the usual way.

Mrs. Hussey

Now that the Government have had 24 hours since yesterday's Order of Business to consider the question, may I ask the Taoiseach what legislation we may expect and when, on the matter of exempting landowners and farmers from public liability claims from people who walk or pursue recreation on their lands?

An Ceann Comhairle

Is this legislation promised?

Mr. Dukes

Half promised.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy will have to raise it in another way.

Mr. J. O'Keeffe

Sometime before the recess would the Minister for Social Welfare make a statement to the House in relation to his row with the Irish Dental Association?

An Ceann Comhairle

Please, Deputy O'Keeffe, that clearly is not in order. Deputy O'Keeffe must desist forthwith. If he persists I shall have to ask him to leave the House.

Mr. J. O'Keeffe

The dentists will leave the scheme.

An Ceann Comhairle

Let there be order, please.

Mr. Quinn

I hesitate to interfere with the dental problem between the Minister and the Deputy but when does the Minister for the Environment propose to introduce the regulations to give effect to the Multi-Storey Buildings Act which was passed by this House earlier this year?

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

I will convey the precise date to the Deputy during the day.

Mrs. Doyle

I request your permission to raise on the Adjournment the serious implications for the cattle industry of the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Deenihan

I would like to raise on the Adjournment the failure of the Department of Education to provide transport for three handicapped children in County Kerry. I will supply details to you later.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Kemmy

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the closure of the Belltable Theatre and Art Gallery in Limerick.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy Kemmy in respect of that matter.

Mr. Desmond

May I ask the Taoiseach if the Government have fixed any date for the 1989 budget?

The Taoiseach

It has not yet been announced. It will be announced in the usual way, on the day of the break-up.

Mr. Kenny

May I ask the Minister for Communications if under the Broadcasting and Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1988, he would make a comment on the possibility of thousands of homes having deflector television systems confiscated?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy knows full well that that is not in order now.

Mr. Quinn

Arising out of previous discussions on the Order of Business, may I ask the Taoiseach if the Government have completed their deliberations and if he is now in a position to indicate to the House when the Government propose to introduce legislation to give effect to the boundary changes for Dáil constituencies? I think it is in order.