It is proposed to take Nos. 5 and 16. It is also proposed that proceedings on the Second Stage of No. 5 will be brought to a conclusion at 5 p.m. and the Minister for Social Welfare will be called on at 4.30 p.m. to conclude the debate.
Order of Business.
May I ask if the proposal for dealing with No. 5 is agreed? Agreed.
May I ask the Taoiseach when the Government propose to take the Report Stage of the Local Government (Planning and Development) (No. 2) Bill?
I will have to communicate with the Deputy about that matter.
Will the Taoiseach ensure its speedy passage through this House, and the other House, because of the worries many people have about further compensation claims being lodged against local authorities?
Certainly.
That should not give rise to a discussion now.
Will the Taoiseach indicate to the House the steps the Government propose to take in the light of the opinion delivered by the Advocate General of the EC Court of Justice regarding the 48 hour shopping restriction?
That does not arise now.
It arises on the basis that presumably the law will now have to be changed.
The Deputy will have to find another way of raising the matter.
The Taoiseach can avail of the opportunity to say what steps will be taken to rectify this matter.
The Deputy should not attempt to pursue the matter now.
(Limerick East): In view of the fact that the Government are showing a saving of £30 million on the better management of the debt, I should like to ask the Taoiseach when the debt management agency Bill will be introduced to justify the £30 million saving shown in the budgetary arithmetic?
Is this legislation promised?
Indeed it is and it is well on its way to the parliamentary draftsman. We hope to keep to our schedule.
(Limerick East): The budget arithmetic says that it has to be operational by mid-year to show the saving. That means that people will have to be employed and in place arising out of the legislation and it seems to me that it will be very difficult to achieve that target. Serious people need to give notice to existing employers.
This should not give rise to argument or debate now.
The more difficult the targets the better the Government are at achieving them.
(Limerick East): Did the Taoiseach see this morning's issue of The Irish Times? The Taoiseach looks well on the front page.
What would The Irish Times do without me?
(Limerick East): It was art.
In view of the announcement by the European Court yesterday in relation to cross-Border trading, will the Taoiseach consider reviewing existing regulations and introducing amending legislation?
I have ruled that matter out of order and it may not be adverted to now. There are procedures for dealing with such matters.
Will the Taoiseach consider introducing revised legislation?
Perhaps the Deputy will go to the Minister's office?
May I raise this matter on the Adjournment?
That is quite in order but the Deputy could have mentioned that earlier.
It would not be necessary to raise it on the Adjournment if the Taoiseach had answered my question.
The matter was not in order in the first instance.
It is a very important matter for my constituency.
Will the Taoiseach say when we can expect the return to the House of the Family Law (Protection of Spouses and Children) Bill, 1987?
I will let the Deputy know about that as soon as possible.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): I should like to raise on the Adjournment the lack of library facilities at the Carlow RTC.
I am aware of the Deputy's interest in that matter and I will communicate with him.
I should like to raise on the Adjournment the need for additional classrooms at Ladyswell national school before next September.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Arising out of the decision of the Supreme Court yesterday concerning the power to remove a State registered nurse from the register of nurses under the Nurses Act, 1985, I should like to ask the Taoiseach, or the Minister for Health, if it is intended to introduce amending legislation.
The Deputy should table a question about the matter.
With the permission of the Chair, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the question of the possible issue of licences for otter hunting. If they are issued they will be effective from 1 April and this matter should be discussed in the House before the licences are issued.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
In view of the ongoing dispute in the Department of Labour between the Minister and his staff, will the Taoiseach be prepared to intervene to try to resolve that dispute?
The Deputy should deal with that matter in another way.
With the permission of the Chair, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the difficulties being experienced by the mushroom industry, represented to the Minister by mushroom producers and exporters, particularly in view of the drop in the value of sterling.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like the permission of the Chair to raise on the Adjournment the decison by the Minister for Finance to sanction the Central Bank's decision to import 30 million of the 50 million proposed new £1 coins.
I will communicate with the Deputy.