Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Feb 1989

Vol. 387 No. 5

Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. today and business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m. It is further proposed that No. 3 shall be taken without debate.

It is further proposed that the proceedings on the Committee and Remaining Stages of No. 4 shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, at 7 p.m. 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. 21.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the proposal for a late sitting today agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal that No. 3 be taken without debate agreed? Agreed.

Mr. Dukes

For the sake of Deputy Brennan——

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proceedings for dealing with No. 4 agreed? Agreed.

Proinsias De Rossa

May I ask the Minister for Health if he proposes to make a statement concerning the latest decision by the VHI to restrict cover to those involved in accidents——

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, that is clearly not in order now.

Proinsias De Rossa

I seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Yates

May I also be associated with that matter?

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy in respect of the matter also.

Mr. Shatter

On the Order of Business, may I ask the Taoiseach if he is aware of the fact that employers' organisations, farmers' organisations and trade unions all have access to a copy of the consultants' interim report on the structural programme for the Dublin region? In the circumstances, would he now arrange for Members of this House to have access to that report——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should put down a question or deal with that matter in the appropriate way.

Mr. Shatter

On a point of order, in response to Dáil questions the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am not going to allow the Deputy to circumvent my ruling by raising——

Mr. Shatter

——indicated that full information would be made available——

An Ceann Comhairle

——a point of order which is clearly not a point of order. Deputy Shatter, please desist.

Mr. McCartan

I seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the number of deaths in Irish prisons during the previous year, the inquests that have been held into them, the recommendations of the juries and their non-implementation by the Minister for Justice.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. M. Higgins

May I ask the Taoiseach if he would consider making available in Government time an opportunity for the Members of the House to discuss in the remaining time available to us in this session the submitted regional plan on Ireland as a region which has to be sent to the Community before 31 March? I have in mind——

An Ceann Comhairle

It might be an appropriate matter for the Whips to decide but it is not appropriate to raise the matter now.

Mr. M. Higgins

After 31 March it will be absurd.

Miss Quill

May I ask the Minister for Finance if he is still prepared to stand over his budget prediction that 3,000 new jobs will be created in the tourist sector——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy knows that matter is not in order now.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

I must ask the Deputy to resume her seat.

Mr. J. Bruton

May I ask the Taoiseach if there has been any further progress in advancing the proposed patents legislation? Have the Government yet decided whether to introduce a small Bill in order to deal with the particular problems of one or two large firms or will they await dealing with this matter in the ultimate comprehensive Bill?

The Taoiseach

The legislation is being processed. I will arrange to have the Deputy brought up-to-date on the latest position.

Mr. J. Bruton

I hope the Taoiseach will not mind if I raise the matter tomorrow if the information is not satisfactory.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Barrett.

Mr. S. Barrett

I will try to be orderly.

The Taoiseach

Do not strain yourself.

Mr. S. Barrett

I had a priority question down today asking the Minister for Justice if proceedings have been instituted against Patrick Ryan and that question has been disallowed. I am seeking your advice as to the best way to go about raising the matter——

An Ceann Comhairle

My office will be glad to communicate with the Deputy. He may not proceed to elaborate now.

Mr. S. Barrett

I am seeking your guidance. The reason I am seeking to raise it on the Adjournment is that back in December when the Taoiseach addressed the Dáil he stated that——

An Ceann Comhairle

A speech is inappropriate now. The Deputy is asking me if he can raise the matter on the Adjournment and I will communicate with him in respect of that matter. I will not permit a speech to be made now.

Mr. S. Barrett

This is the elected assembly of the people.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will not permit a speech to be made now.

Mr. S. Barrett

I want to make my point about the Adjournment debate.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is not in order. The Deputy may seek——

Mr. S. Barrett

I am entitled to raise this point. There is a man walking around these streets for the past three months who has serious charges to face.

An Ceann Comhairle

Please Deputy Barrett. It is clear that the Deputy is now defying the Chair. Deputy Barrett must now resume his seat.

Mr. S. Barrett

I have read in the newspaper that he has left the country. We are elected representatives and the Opposition——

An Ceann Comhairle

This is an affront to the Chair. Will the Deputy please resume his seat?

Mr. S. Barrett

I want my rights as an elected representative——

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Barrett, you have persistently refused to obey me and I must now ask you to resume your seat or leave the House.

Mr. S. Barrett

I intend to raise this matter at Question Time, I will not be silenced on this issue.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. S. Barrett

You can do all you like, but I know where I stand when it comes to dealing with terrorists.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Ruairí Quinn.

Mr. Quinn

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the waste of taxpayers' money implicit in the decision of the Department of Education to put out to developer competition the design, construction and financing of three schools for which a full set of design and contract documents have already been prepared and for which full fees have been paid.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

Mr. Sherlock

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the replies given to Questions Nos. 109 and 112 of 14 February 1989 which are in conflict with the statement by the Minister for Health in this House on 15 May——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am aware of the Deputy's interest in the matter and I will communicate with him.

Mr. Farrelly

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the inadequate funding of Teagasc.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with Deputy Farrelly in respect of that matter.

Mr. Sheehan

Will the Taoiseach now intervene to make it possible to have a ferry service between Cork and Swansea? Will he at least give us a service two or three days a week?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is completely out of order.

Mr. Sheehan

I am asking the Taoiseach——

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Sheehan must not ignore the Chair. There are questions tabled on that subject matter for tomorrow's Order Paper. The Deputy must not try to jump the queue.

Mr. Quinn

Have him ferried out.

Mr. Sheehan

This is a personal appeal to the Taoiseach.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Sheehan, please desist. Please resume your seat.

Mr. Sheehan

I want to ask the Taoiseach——

Mr. Barry

The Taoiseach will get a card at Christmas as well.

An Ceann Comhairle

We have enjoyed the jovial aspect of this matter, but that is enough.

(Interruptions.)

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Sheehan, there is a time when a joke goes too far. Please resume your seat.

Mr. Sheehan

I will be silent if you allow me raise this matter.

An Ceann Comhairle

If the Deputy persists in treating the Chair with disdain I shall have to deal with him more severely in future.

Mr. J. O'Keeffe

He is all heart.

An Ceann Comhairle

I now call Deputy McGahon.

Mr. McGahon

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the recent threat by the IRA to permanently sever the Belfast-Dublin rail link.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with Deputy McGahon in respect of that matter.

Mr. Dukes

Sir, in your approach to the Adjournment this evening, would you consider giving me the opportunity of raising the question of the use of £190,000 of lottery money to put computers in the Taoiseach's Department?

An Ceann Comhairle

I will communicate with the Deputy.

The Taoiseach

Better to serve the Deputy.

Mr. Harte

Yesterday when I was questioning you, Sir, on a matter of order, I reflected unfairly on a member of your staff — a person with whom I have had a very long association — and I apologise to that person for saying what I did. However, a Cheann Comhairle, I wish to put on record that this would not have arisen if you had asked Deputy Blaney to withdraw his derogatory remarks. The Chair will appreciate that if I had used the same language to you Sir, you would have asked me to leave the House.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Harte, an apology of this kind should be of an unqualified nature——

Mr. Harte

The apology is unqualified.

An Ceann Comhairle

——otherwise it is worthless.

Mr. Harte

The apology is——

An Ceann Comhairle

That is sufficient Deputy.

Mr. Boylan

I seek to raise on the Adjournment the question of the further delay of the opening of Cavan General Hospital.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will be in touch with the Deputy. Can we proceed to the Order of Business?