Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 15 Dec 1988

Vol. 385 No. 8

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take Nos. 2, 11, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 and 15. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.30 p.m. today and business shall be interrupted at 9 p.m. It is further proposed that Nos. 11, 8, 9 and 10 shall be taken without debate. It is further proposed that No. 14 shall be taken not later than 1.30 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply: (1) the debates on Votes 33 and 35, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 4.15 p.m. and 5.45 p.m. respectively; (2) in each case, the speech of Members called on shall not exceed 15 minutes and the Minister replying shall be called on to conclude the debate not later than ten minutes before the stated time; (3) if a division is challenged on any of the Votes being taken today, such Divisions shall be taken forthwith. It is further proposed that Vote 41 shall be taken not later than 8.30 p.m. and the speech of Members called on shall not exceed five minutes and the debate, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 9 p.m. and the order shall not resume. It is further proposed that the Dáil shall meet tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. and shall adjourn not later than 5 p.m.

Is the proposal for a late sitting today agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with Nos. 11, 8, 9 and 10 agreed?

With regard to item No. 8, there is a proposal to change the method of taking Priority Questions. This is a change from the procedure which was adopted by this House some time ago and I am objecting to the fact that this change is being proceeded with without a debate in this House. This matter was not discussed at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I understand it was a deal done between the Whips of the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Progressive Democrats and Labour Parties. I want to express——

I note the Deputy's objection to item No. 8 being taken without a debate. That is the nub of his objection and I propose to deal with the matter forthwith.

This matter affects every Deputy in this House and not just The Workers' Party.

I have noted the Deputy's objection. The Deputy is objecting to item No. 8 being taken without debate. Therefore, I am putting the question: "That the figure proposed to be deleted stand".

Question put and declared carried.

May I ask you, a Cheann Comhairle, to ensure that The Workers' Party's objection to this is recorded?

That is normal procedure. Are the proposals for dealing with Vote 14 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Vote 41 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for our sitting of tomorrow agreed? Agreed.

On the Order of Business, may I ask if the Taoiseach will make time available during the course of today for the House to be informed about the outcome of yesterday's Inter-governmental Conference meeting? It is a little unusual in that, from reading press reports today, there is more than the usual amount of briefing and counter-briefing going on and I think it would help this House if we had the opportunity of having some fuller information about what went on at that meeting before us so that we could discuss it.

The precedent is well established that reports on the meetings of the Anglo-Irish Conference are confined to the communique. The Deputy knows this because he was one of those who established that precedent.

I am aware of that——

I do not think we ought to debate or argue the matter here now.

——but so far there has not been a meeting of that conference in such extraordinary circumstances, nor has there been a meeting which has been the subject of so much briefing and counter-briefing. I note the Taoiseach's reluctance to deal with the matter in the House, but I ask him if he would at least devote some of his remarks during his speech on the Adjournment debate to this issue?

Perhaps Deputies will have an opportunity of adverting to such matters on the proposed Adjournment debate.

(Limerick East): I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he is aware of the widespread practice of a particular tax avoidance scheme in relation to capital gains tax which arises from the Supreme Court judgment on the McGrath case last week?

That hardly arises now, Deputy Noonan.

(Limerick East): Does the Taoiseach intend to bring in legislation to close off this tax gap?

No legislation is proposed, I take it.

(Limerick East): There were indications that the Government intended to bring in legislation on the advice of the Revenue Commissioners.

I suggest that the Deputy should raise the matter in another way.

(Limerick East): The Minister for Finance seems to be very anxious to reply.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the notification to the health boards by the Minister for Health of an additional £8 million in health charges in 1989 and the implications for health services of that extra charge.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

I should like to give the Minister for Education the opportunity of putting St. Aidan's School in Whitehall on her list of new year resolutions. Perhaps I might have the opportunity to raise it on the Adjournment since I have sought permission two or three times.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

When exactly will the building societies legislation be circulated?

It is proposed to circulate that legislation next week.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the deaths of ten teenagers from solvent abuse and the failure of the Department of Health to introduce any public education programme to warn young people of this danger.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 121 of 29 November in my name.

I will be in touch with the Deputy.

In view of the love the Taoiseach has expressed for island people, will he now as a gesture of goodwill for Christmas mediate between the ESB and the German company and get the wind generators in Cape Clear purchased for all?

Deputy Sheehan has made his point. That should be adequate.

(Interruptions.)

I should like to assure the Deputy that the last time I saw them they were rotating brilliantly.

Will the Taoiseach guarantee that they will continue to rotate brilliantly, as a gesture of goodwill?

Following the intervention of the Government and the insistence that we should send a show jumping team to Seoul for the Olympics, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the failure of the Minister for Agriculture, Deputy Michael O'Kennedy, to honour a public commitment given by him on behalf of the Government to guarantee any shortfall in funding of that trip to the Equestrian Federation of Ireland.

I thought the Deputy was going to criticise the Minister for their failure to win.

The Government insisted they should go and the money must be recouped.

The Deputy promised me they would win.

Top
Share