It is proposed to take No. 7. It is also proposed, at the conclusion of business today, that the Dáil should adjourn until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 1 November 1989.
Order of Business.
Is it agreed that the Dáil shall adjourn until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 1 November next? Agreed.
On the Order of Business, when does the Taoiseach intend to make an announcement to the House as to the date on which we will have the local elections next year?
I would very much like to answer that question but I know the Chair would rule me out of order.
I am not asking the Taoiseach for the date. All I am asking is when he will announce the date in the House. I am not asking him to be indiscreet or divisive in any way. Will the Taoiseach just say when he is going to tell us?
That question must be raised in a proper fashion. Deputy Dick Spring is offering.
Has the Taoiseach had an opportunity of considering my request, as he said he would on Tuesday, in relation to having a special debate on Anglo-Irish relations?
I am quite prepared to go ahead with the debate and will ask the Whips to discuss it.
I would like your permission to raise on the Adjournment the question of the fine imposed by a court in Florida on Aer Lingus and ask that we, in the national interest, deal with the matter in the House today.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
On a matter that I have raised in this House twice already I have received overnight certain information which no longer causes me to seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment but I wish to raise it again on the Order of Business. When is the Taoiseach going to allow this House to debate such an important matter? The information given to the House yesterday to the effect that the Garda investigation has been terminated is not the case, but the information I have received is of such an order that I believe it is profoundly important——
Deputy Rabbitte, there are ways of raising such matters in this House. The matter is not in order now in the fashion in which the Deputy is approaching it.
I think it is in order to ask the Taoiseach——
That is a matter for the Chair, Deputy.
——if he has read reports this morning in the newspapers about this matter.
The Deputy will have to pursue this matter in the proper way.
Surely this House must be allowed at some stage to debate an issue as important as this and I do not think time allowed on Adjournment is adequate.
It is something that might be discussed by the Whips.
Does the Taoiseach accept that the Whips could discuss this matter and decide on an appropriate time.
That was merely my suggestion, Deputy.
I am prepared to accept that suggestion. Is the Taoiseach prepared to accept it?
(Interruptions.)
I take it from the Taoiseach's silence that he is not prepared to discuss it in this House.
I have given the Deputy every lattitude in this matter. He knows precisely how to proceed.
I think the Taoiseach was offering.
Deputy Rabbitte must desist and resume his seat.
I really would like to hear what the Taoiseach has to say.
(Interruptions.)
I have given you a lot of latitude in respect of this matter. I cannot assist you any further in the matter.
I submit that the Taoiseach was prepared——
I must ask you to desist and resume your seat, Deputy.
A Cheann-Comhairle, this matter is——
The Deputy is challenging the Chair. The Deputy is defying the Chair. He leaves me no option, therefore, but to ask him to leave the House. Thank you, Deputy for resuming your seat.
Yesterday morning I asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food to give details to this House of his meeting in Luxembourg on beef prices. This he refused to do. Lo and behold, the Commissioner, Mr. MacSharry, said on radio that it was Minister O'Malley's fault——
I think I am right in saying that Deputy Connaughton has some questions down today on the Order Paper.
The Minister has bad news and was not man enough to tell the farmers himself. He blamed Minister O'Malley.
(Interruptions.)
May I ask the Taoiseach when the Government will publish the report on stress in the nursing profession since it was alleged in the national press yesterday that the Department of Health were suppressing that report?
That is not in order now, Deputy.
Will the Minister issue a statement on the disgraceful and hypocritical fine of $900,000 on Aer Lingus last evening? Will he make a statement to the House?
The Deputy should raise that at another time in another way.
May I raise the matter on the Adjournment?
(Limerick East): I would like to ask the Taoiseach is there a new procedure on the answering of Parliamentary Questions put down for written answer? I received a reply from the Minister of State, Deputy Connolly, yesterday which did not answer any question but said that the Minister would write to me in the near future. Is this merely economy or is it a new procedure?
(Interruptions.)
It is almost certainly simply another demonstration of the overwhelming desire of the Minister of State in the Department of the Environment to be helpful.
(Interruptions.)
When the House reconvened on Tuesday I raised on the Order of Business the matter which Deputies Quinn and Rabbitte raised yesterday and which Deputy Rabbitte raised again this morning. In the light of the difficulties being experienced due to the lack of confidence in the planning process in Dublin, would the Taoiseach please arrange for a statement to be made by the Minister for the Environment on the current position regarding the investigation being conducted into an alleged bribery scandal in the planning process in Dublin?
The Chair has ruled very strictly on that matter both yesterday and today.
I invite the Taoiseach to respond. It is in the interests of the country and the House that we should know the position.
Deputy Shatter, please desist. I have already ruled out a Deputy in connection with the matter.
The Minister for the Environment and the Taoiseach have an interest in ensuring that the integrity of the planning process is not open to question. Surely the Taoiseach could avail of the opportunity to tell the House the current position in regard to the investigation which has taken place.
Deputy Shatter must realise that he cannot, with impunity, show disregard for the Chair.
I will never do it with impunity.
Having met you this morning in the company of my Party Whip, it is now established that the question I raised yesterday on the Order of Business in relation to the EC Directive on Environmental Impact Studies was a legitimate question in accordance with the Standing Orders of this House.
The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot now permit of a rehash of yesterday's business.
I should like to make that point clear.
(Limerick East): The Chair should apologise.
I would ask the Taoiseach in his capacity as Minister for the Gaeltacht if the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill, 1989, will be taken advantage of to try to provide an extension of the powers of Údarás na Gaeltachta in relation to housing and health and also to put them on an equal footing with other development agencies?
I am not clear on the Deputy's point.
Does this refer to legislation promised?
On Tuesday I put a question to the Taoiseach as to when I would see the text of the legislation. The Taoiseach's reply was "Comh luath agus is féidir". I think we have gone beyond the "féidir" bit now.
(Interruptions.)
It is, I suppose, because of an attempt to reach a slightly wider audience that I am asking this question about a Gaeltacht matter in the second language. I am very anxious to know if the Bill will contain proposals on the lines I have suggested. Tá mé suil le freagra binn ceart.
It is intended to circulate the Bill quam celerrime.
A Deputy
Festina lente.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister for the Environment indicated yesterday on the Order of Business that it was his intention to introduce, under the EC legislation of 1972, regulations to give effect to the EC Directive on Environmental Impact Studies. Does motion No. 4 on list No. 1 of the Order Paper circulated on Tuesday do the job for him since it is based on an earlier draft provided by the Department of the Environment? Does this motion in the name of the Parliamentary Labour Party suffice? Since he has already acknowledged receipt of the same draft directive perhaps we might accelerate the business of the House by consensus. Could he accept the draft directive as written by the Labour Party on behalf of his Department if it would comply with our obligations to the Community?
The matter will be accelerated, hopefully by consensus.
Perhaps the Minister did not fully understand my question. Since we have taken a draft prepared by his Department in respect of motorways under exactly the same EC Directive which was published by the Department of the Environment and extended it to cover other aspects, can the Minister indicate, since his Department have already received the draft directive, if this complies with his drafting requirements? If so, will he allow it to proceed in the normal manner?
I will be as helpful as I can. The regulations will be finalised before Christmas and will do all that is necessary to satisfy the law on the implementation of the environmental directive. The Labour Party draft which has been submitted has been helpful.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the position of the Coolock Community Law Centre, the only independent community law centre in the country, which is facing imminent closure due to lack of Government funding.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter. I am aware of his interest.
In view of the recent decision to take three profitable air routes from Aer Lingus and the total silence of the Government in the face of the apalling fines visited on Aer Lingus in an American court yesterday, are we to take it that the Government have abandoned the State sector, particularly the profitable areas, and are embarking on a programme of privatisation?
The Deputy is raising a matter which is not in order. He may pursue it in another way.
I am putting it to the Taoiseach that it is incumbent on the Government at some time today, either inside or outside this House, to say where Aer Lingus stands.
I propose to raise on the Adjournment the very serious position in regard to speech therapy training facilities for children in County Kerry.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
Will the Taoiseach say what the position is regarding the plan adopted for the sub-regions, particularly the south-west region, since it now transpires that the national plan in no way reflects the submissions made by the local communities or local authorities?
The Deputy should raise that matter in another way at the appropriate time.
The committees are now being abolished and the plans being adopted——
It is not in order now.
I would ask the Taoiseach when the necessary rules will be made under the Judicial Separation Act to enable the new simplified procedures to be used in the courts for the bringing of separation proceedings. The Government were given six months from the enactment of the legislation to bring forward the necessary Statutory Instruments and I understand they have not as yet done so. Since the Act came into force on 19 October, perhaps the Taoiseach could indicate when the rules will be made.
If the Deputy puts down a question it will be answered.
They have six months to do it.
Have the Government made a decision on the provision of funding for the extension of Newpark swimming pool to ensure the proper training environment for our athletes?
Perhaps an appropriate question would suffice.
Is the Taoiseach prepared to reply?
Not now, Deputy.
I would ask the Minister for Justice when promised legislation with regard to the abolition of the death penalty will be before the House?
No legislation has been promised in the House.
It is definitely included in the Joint Programme for Government of the new Coalition which was introduced and presented to this House. To that extent it is certainly promised.
The Chair can only accept the statement of the Taoiseach or the Government as to whether legislation is promised. My information is that it is not promised and that is the position.
Not in the House.
I wish to raise a point of order.
Let us not have an argument about this.
I should like to put the point that the Joint Programme for Government was read and introduced to the House by the Taoiseach, and included in that programme was a clear promise to abolish the death penalty.
I thought we had clarified this aspect of the matter long before now. The legislation must be promised in the House.
Another part of the programme has gone.
With the permission of the Chair, I should like to quote the relevant passage which states that the process of codifying the criminal law will be started and new laws to remove the death penalty and so on will be introduced. That statement was made by the Taoiseach introducing the programme for Government of the Coalition.
What is the Deputy quoting from? Is he quoting from a statement made in the House?
It is an extract from the programme for Government.
Was the statement made in the House?
It is an extract from the programme.
I have asked a question of the Deputy and he should be good enough to reply.
Yes, it is an extract from a statement made to the House.
The position is that no legislation in the terms that you laid down very recently has been promised in the House.
I have to accept that.
If the Deputy in the normal course of events wishes to put down a Dáil question, as he is perfectly entitled to do, it will be fully answered.
Mr. McCartan rose.
Deputy McCartan, I cannot allow this argument to continue. I have made my position clear. So far as the Chair is concerned, if a member of the Government states that no such legislation was promised I must accept that as factual.
And if he says black is white?
I should like to ask the Minister for the Environment the delays he anticipates in the processing of house grant applications and in the payment of those grants now that that section of his Department has been transferred to Castlebar. What steps will the Minister take to minimise these delays?
The Deputy should pursue that matter in the normal way.
Ag deireadh na hoibre inniú ba mhaith liom ceist a phlé, an mhoill atá curtha ar cheapachán múinteora ar Inis Mór, Oileán Árann, agus na deacrachtaí do thuismitheóirí agus do pháistí dá bharr.
Cuirfidh mé freagra chugat ar ball, a Theachta.
I should like to raise on the Adjournment the proposed rationalisation by the Minister for Education of post-primary school facilities in County Laois and the implications for all concerned.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
With the permission of the Chair, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the total collapse of a vital community service on the north side of Dublin. There are no physiotherapy outpatient facilities available on the north side for patients referred by general practitioners.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach to inform the House when he intends to make a decision in regard to financial aid for the Cork/Swansea ferry service.
That is not in order.
Did the Taoiseach read this morning's issue of The Cork Examiner? If he did he would know how serious this matter is.
Mea culpa.
What about the statement the Taoiseach made in Cork last June?
That has been forgotten.
With the permission of the Chair, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the pressure by the Government to have the Eastern Regional Tourism Board disbanded.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.