It is proposed to take Nos. 1 and 8. Private Members' Business shall be No. 21.
Order of Business.
On a point of order, Sir, could I ask you if there is any action you could take in order to prevent distorted pictures of events being given to this House? Yesterday, for example, in the course of his statement, the Taoiseach said increasing employment and reducing unemployment and emigration are the central objective of Government policy. When he was speaking to this House the rest of the country was being given information——
That is not a matter for the Chair. It is something that can be resolved in this House in the ordinary way. It does not arise now.
I want to ask you if you, Sir, can prevent the Taoiseach giving a totally distorted version of actuality.
Please, Deputy Dukes.
The Taoiseach said not a word about the fact that the labour force last year fell by 17,000 and that emigration rose to 46,000.
The Deputy must find another way of raising this matter.
The Taoiseach in an hour's speech to this House said not one single word about any of that. Is that not a distorted picture to present to this House? Can you do anything about it?
I would just like to point out that the Leader of the Opposition did not feel it worth his while either to listen to my speech in the House yesterday or to reply to the debate.
The Taoiseach knows perfectly well that up to ten minutes before the beginning of those statements yesterday his Chief Whip had given my Chief Whip to understand that the debate would be opened by the Minister for Finance. The Taoiseach would want to get his act together a bit better than that.
I am not going to permit a rehash of yesterday's debate. The debate to which the Deputies refer is ongoing. It is about to resume.
The statement the Deputy made was totally untrue. I did not speak to his Chief Whip about the statement yesterday and I made it quite clear two days ago——
(Interruptions.)
You have not got your act together.
(Interruptions.)
A Cheann Comhairle, it was much easier and more orderly when they were working together. I did ask the Taoiseach yesterday if he would provide time next week, if possible, for a debate on a range of matters associated with Anglo-Irish affairs and, given the further startling disclosure this morning about the collection of evidence in relation to the Birmingham Six case, has the Taoiseach considered the matter now and will time be provided for a debate?
I am still considering the situation and I will be glad to communicate with the Deputy as soon as possible.
Could I ask the Taoiseach if he will confirm that the promised legislation in regard to the statutory authorisation of work already being done by regional technological colleges in co-operation with industry which was to be introduced in this session will not now in fact be introduced, if then, until after Christmas? Will he comment on the implications of this delay for the valuable work that is being done by the colleges?
The Deputy's office will be communicated with today on that matter. Draft heads of a Bill are being finalised and in fact some of the matters were covered in the legislation dealing with the establishment of the two new universities. Further legislation is being drafted.
I appreciate the fact that the information has already been provided to me privately but as it is information of public interest that the Government should be tardy in its activities in this regard, I felt it was necessary to get it on the record here.
On the Order of Business, what news has the Minister for Agriculture got for the beef producers? I understand that he was in Brussels for the last few days. Perhaps he would care, on the floor of the House, to tell beef farmers what is going to happen to them?
Perhaps the Deputy would raise that matter at another time.
The Minister is running away from the question of the meat factories. Tell us what happened.
(Interruptions.)
What happened? Nothing happened.
Is it intended to reconvene the Committee on Procedure and Privileges today to discuss any developments that have taken place in regard to the threatened industrial dispute within the House?
I think the Deputy should await developments in that area. I have nothing to report as yet.
I understand there was a possibility of us being convened again today to discuss any progress that may have been made.
Let us utilise the time at our disposal.
In view of the fact that the gardaí investigating the allegations of irregularities in the Dublin city and county planning department have concluded that there is no substance to these allegations and have terminated their inquiries, could I ask you, Sir, if I would be in order to ask the Minister for the Environment to make a statement to the House as soon as possible in relation to the exact position?
The Deputy should put down a question in relation to that.
I just have.
Yesterday I raised the question of the Taoiseach passing questions which are clearly his responsibility to other Ministers to answer in this House. Under Standing Orders 32 and 33 you, Sir, have responsibility for questions, their format and their amendment. It was not communicated to me at any stage yesterday that my question was being amended to be answered by the Minister for Health. One of the questions I asked was about the removal from office of the deputy chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board and the allegation by the Secretary of the Department of Health that that was done on the express instructions of the Taoiseach. It seems quite clear, in the public interest, that the Taoiseach should answer in this House to that because the Minister for Health would have no knowledge of this.
I am allowing Deputy Barry some latitude again in this matter this morning. I think I made my views on his allegations quite clear yesterday. They are on the record of this House. I wish to add that I will be communicating with the Deputy by letter within an hour or two.
A Cheann Comhairle, in respect of this matter you had better communicate with me by letter because I had tabled the same question to the Taoiseach and it was diverted to the Minister for Health. I want to raise that same issue on the Adjournment tonight.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter. I now call Deputy Pat Rabbitte.
Decisions can be made — political decisions——
A Deputy
We want the man responsible to be here.
Deputy Rabbitte.
On the Order of Business, may I ask the Taoiseach if he intends to make time available to this House now that a cloud hangs over the entire planning process in Dublin to debate the serious allegations that have been made and the conviction that all is not well——
I have already ruled on that matter. The Deputy must raise the matter in an appropriate way.
The Government is not leading anywhere.
There are facilities in the House for that purpose.
On the Order of Business, may I ask the Taoiseach if it is the Government's intention to introduce legislation this term to reform the financing of local authorities and to abolish the local charges, as promised by Fianna Fáil prior to the last election.
I am not sure if that is in order. I am not sure that legislation was promised.
(Limerick East): An opportunist politician promised that.
It was not promised in this House, Deputy.
It was promised to the electorate.
That is a different matter. I have ruled that the only questions that can be raised are in respect of legislation promised in this House.
Is it the Government's intention to introduce such legislation?
Put down a question, Deputy. I now call Deputy Sherlock.
May I ask the Taoiseach when it is proposed to have the Child Care Bill debated? I understand there was a commitment to have an all-party committee examine the Bill during the summer recess, but that did not happen. That would have expedited the passage of the Bill.
Next week.
In view of the extreme urgency in respect of industries in Cork, may I ask the Taoiseach when he proposes to introduce legislation to implement the EC directive on environmental impact studies? This has grave implications for current job developments in Cork.
Is this legislation promised?
No.
(Interruptions.)
Even if the legislation is not promised, it is required.
On a point of information, I think the legislation is required.
This legislation has not been promised and if you wish to pursue the matter please put down the appropriate question.
Surely I am entitled to the courtesy of an answer from the Taoiseach?
You got an answer, Deputy.
When will this directive be implemented?
Deputy Allen must not persist in a matter which is out of order.
I am persisting.
I now call Deputy Quinn.
We have already lost one factory for Cork. I want to know when this legislation will come before the House.
Deputy Allen, please resume your seat. The Deputy is clearly defying the Chair. Resume your seat, Deputy, or leave the House.
The Minister, Deputy O'Malley——
(Interruptions.)
Please leave the House, Deputy.
Deputy Allen withdrew from the Chamber.
May I ask the Minister for the Environment when he will be in a position to introduce the regulations he has promised to give legislative effect to the EC environmental impact assessment directive. What is the timetable for that?
It is intended to have that matter dealt with during this term.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, may I further ask whether this will be by way of separate legislation or by way of regulation?
It is intended to deal with the matter by regulations under the European Communities Act.
May I ask, Sir, why Deputy Quinn, whom I congratulate on getting an answer, got an answer when Deputy Allen put down exactly the same question and the Taoiseach muttered under his breath that no legislation was promised on this. I heard him. The Taoiseach muttered under his breath that no action was being taken but yet we have it winkled out of this Minister for the Environment, God help us, that he is going to do something. I put it to you, Sir, that it is a very real cause of grievance that one of my colleagues on the Fine Gael benches should have been asked to leave the House over a matter to which we have already got an answer. I suggest you invite Deputy Allen back.
The reasons the Deputy was asked to leave the House are crystal clear and are on the record.
The reason, Sir, was that the Deputy could not get an answer because neither the Taoiseach nor the Minister for the Environment would say anything but yet when the matter continued — and I congratulate Deputy Quinn on his persistence — we finally got an answer after a Deputy had been asked to leave the House.
(Interruptions.)
I think it is obvious to everybody in this House, except perhaps Deputy Dukes, that Deputy Quinn was asking a different question from Deputy Allen. Deputy Quinn was within order in the questions he asked. There is a lot of talk here about the reform of Dáil procedures but, with some temerity, I suggest to the Fine Gael Party, in particular, that the best reform of Dáil procedures would be that they would show some respect for the Chair and obey the Chair's rulings.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
Please show some respect for this House.
The arrogance of the man.
I now call Deputy Pat McCartan.
With your permission, Sir, I seek to raise on the Adjournment tonight the future of the Coolock Community Law Centre in view of the threat of its imminent closure due to a lack of funding from Government.
I will be in touch with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment this evening the question of a strike at Barlow Heating, Clonmel. This provides 156 jobs in the town and a flow of £2 million into the economy. I had requested this yesterday, but I accept that you, Sir, have a lot of demands on the time available. However, I plead to be allowed to raise this matter. I was not sure of the correct procedure by which to raise the matter here. I thought the Order of Business had to be agreed before I could ask about it.
I will be in touch with the Deputy.
In view of the fact that this is a matter in my constituency, may I also be included in that request?
Certainly Deputy, I will communicate with Deputy Ahearn.
(Limerick East): May I ask the Taoiseach when the 1990 Book of Estimates will be published and if he would arrange to have copies provided to the Opposition parties in advance of publication?
This will be fairly soon and I will endeavour to facilitate Deputies as much as possible.
I would like to ask the Taoiseach in view of the love he has expressed for the south-western region on several occasions whether he will now make a firm commitment to give financial support to the Cork-Swansea ferry service. We want £1 million——
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Sheehan has made his point and doubtless he will follow it up in a proper fashion.
I am a little puzzled at the Deputy's position on the matter now that he is a spokesman for a certain area of responsibility. Perhaps he should come down nearer the front bench.
(Interruptions.)
They deserve recognition and we should not stand idly by and not make statements about the ferry service.
Deputy Sheehan has made his point and must now desist from further interruptions. Deputy Deenihan has been offering.
I would like to get an answer from the Taoiseach.
The matter is getting beyond a joke. I now call Deputy Deenihan.
May I raise on the Adjournment the provision, as a matter of urgency, of a grant for the extension of Listowel vocational school, County Kerry?
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.
May I raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the proposed processing factory for Tuam as a replacement for the sugar factory? I tried to raise this matter yesterday and I hope you will give me a chance to do so today. May I also ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when he will actually be bringing before the House the results of his meeting in Luxembourg?
Please, Deputy ——
It is normally done and has been done several times before ——
I will communicate with the Deputy in respect of the matter he raised earlier.
The Minister is ashamed to raise his head. The poor farmers are suffering.
Deputy Seán Ryan.
A Cheann Comhairle, with your permission I should like to raise on the Adjournment this evening the effects the new Government policy on air routes will have on the future commercial viability of Aer Lingus and indeed the effect this is having on the morale of the staff.
I will communicate with the Deputy. Deputy Roger Garland has been offering for some time.
I should like with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to raise on the Adjournment the question of the scandalous neglect of listed buildings, some of which date back as far as 1722, on Bachelors Walk which have been allowed to become dangerous and which I believe are about to be demolished today and tomorrow.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.
I rise to seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment this evening the inordinate delay in the sanction for the multi-campus school at Gorey, County Wexford.
I will be in touch with the Deputy.
I should like to ask the Minister for Social Welfare to explain his tardiness in producing regulations arising out of powers given to him under the last Social Welfare Bill so as to allow the education opportunity scheme to be extended to other courses and also to extend the voluntary work scheme. He may or may not be aware that quite a number of people have been cut off from receiving social welfare benefits because they attended courses last year. When will the regulations be before this House?
The first part of the education opportunity scheme was announced just recently. The regulations to provide for wider flexibility are being prepared and will be available shortly. That is the position.
They should have been in place for September of this year if they are to be of any benefit.
I want to call on Deputy Charles Flanagan who was offering earlier.
During the summer months the Minister for Education made a decision pertaining to second level schooling in County Laois which had the effect of divesting both the towns of Abbeyleix and Durrow of their entire second level school facilities. I should like to raise this matter on the Adjournment this evening. I think the Minister for Education when making her decision may have been reflecting on a prior romance in south Roscommon and I think the matter is worthy of discussion here in the House.
I shall communicate with the Deputy in respect of that matter.
(Interruptions.)
We are too long in the old game for that now.
Order, please. Deputy Jim Higgins.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the failure of the Minister for Agriculture and Food to approve the sanction of a clerk-typist to the farm development service office at Davitt House, Castlebar, which is impeding the release of over 120 grants for the control of farm pollution at a cost of over £500,000.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
A Cheann Comhairle, with your permission I should like to raise on the Adjournment the loss of a concessionary teacher to Saint Damien's national school in Walkinstown. This school has been deprived of a concessionary teacher by virtue of the fact that a teacher has taken up a post in County Kerry. The net effect of this for Saint Damien's national school, which is an amalgamation of boys and girls national schools, is that they have only had the benefit of this concessionary teacher for one single solitary day. I should like to address this matter with the Minister.
I will communicate with Deputy Byrne in connection with that matter. Can we proceed to deal with the business of the House proper?