It is proposed to take Nos. 6 to 33, inclusive, and 39. Private Members' Business shall be No. 53.
Order of Business.
Can the Tánaiste speculate whether there might be invitations to various persons on the Government benches to resign their functions? It was done in the Seanad, why not here?
The Government is on a tremendously even keel.
May I ask the Tánaiste the current position regarding the Larceny Bill which is currently before the Seanad. Last week the Taoiseach indicated, in answer to a question, that it was intended to bring the matter before this House as soon as possible. Can the Tánaiste indicate if that is still the position? Would he agree that it would be a better practice to allow this House debate whatever amendments took place and to give his team in the Seanad a little more time to settle——
Matters appertaining to the Seanad should not be adverted to in this House.
It relates to it in so far as we were told that the Bill was to be brought back to this House as soon as possible.
We shall do our own business without any reference to the other House.
It was promised legislation.
If it was promised legislation certainly.
The Government are concerned about dealing with public business expeditiously and the most expeditious way to deal with this legislation is to have it concluded in the Seanad, and that is being done.
This should not give rise to argument. This is not Question Time.
Can some explanation be given why the Taoiseach indicated to us, less than a week ago, that the Bill was coming back here as soon as possible?
We are doing it as expeditiously as possible via the Seanad where the matter lies.
It was a different story last week.
Last week I asked the Taoiseach whether the Government intended to make time available in this House to discuss the proposals which they are currently preparing as Ireland's contribution to European political union. At the time I raised it, you correctly suggested that that matter should more properly be raised with the Whips. We took up that option. The Labour Party Whip raised the matter with the Government Whip, and we got no clear undertaking that time would be made available in this House to debate the proposals prior to their submission at the June Summit. Can the Tánaiste now indicate that, in principle, it is the Government's decision to have a debate on those proposals in this House before they are submitted to the June Summit?
The Deputy and the House can be reassured on that matter. It will be considered at the next meeting of the Whips. The urgency of getting the Finance Bill through was the main consideration for this week, but I take the Deputy's point.
Do I take it then — and I appreciate what the Tánaiste has said — that when we come to talk about this matter again, the House will have before it a draft or a copy of the Government's proposals for European union?
That is a matter for further consideration by the Government.
That is what the Labour Party are requesting. Another series of statements in the absence of——
The Deputy has made his point adequately, if not eloquently.
I will convey the Labour Party's view to the Taoiseach but in the meantime let the Whips meet and discuss the matter.
(Limerick East): On the Second Stage of the Finance Bill the Minister for Finance promised that he would amend the Bill to extend the manufacturing relief to the year 2010 on Committee Stage. The amendments still have not been circulated. We have 130 pages of tax legislation to go through in four days. There are 128 amendments down already. The Minister has given notice of legislating a major change in industrial policy. We, on the Opposition side, will be here today from 10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. and the key amendment has not yet been circulated. I want to protest in the strongest possible manner——
This is a matter to which the Deputy adverted yesterday.
(Limerick East): I want to ask the Tánaiste: when will we be provided with the key amendment? How are we expected to debate the Finance Bill properly——
It is with the Fianna Fáil finance group.
(Limerick East): They should steer away from this; they have already brought the Seanad into disrepute——
The Deputy should find out the rules of this House.
(Interruptions.)
Order please. Deputy Noonan, it is a legitimate question. It will be answered. It ought not to lead to any disorder.
A Deputy
This is not the way to do business.
(Limerick East): The Minister does not know what is going on half the time.
Please, Deputy Noonan.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick East): He is a disgrace as Minister for Finance. He is simply a showman, a stuntman.
Please, Deputy Noonan.
(Limerick East): We have 130 pages of tax legislation——
I have heard the Deputies. The Chair is most anxious to facilitate you, devoid of disorder.
There will be considerable debate today of the many important aspects of the Finance Bill. The amendment the Deputy refers to will be circulated later today——
Big deal.
——prior to further debate here in the House. Contemplation of it will exercise the Deputy's very agile mind during the evening hours.
(Limerick East): I would like to point out to the Tánaiste that the very agile minds of all of us will be involved in Committee Stage to be exercised until 10.30 tonight. It is an outrageous way to treat the House with a key change——
Deputy Noonan, the question has been raised and answered.
(Limerick East): This kind of frivolity is very interesting. You are well on the way.
Deputy Noonan, resume your seat, please.
Address the Chair.
This has gone too far, Deputy Noonan. This House will have adequate time to discuss the Finance Bill which is before us today, tomorrow and for a number of days. There is no need for all this.
(Limerick East): This is an outrage, a major change in industrial policy——
On a point of order, the amendment we are talking about and the provision in this year's Finance Bill could very well bring about a major change in the basis of company taxation. We are talking about a fundamental——
The Chair has facilitated the matter being raised here this morning.
On the morning we begin Committee Stage of the Finance Bill we do not have the amendment.
The Deputy brought amendments in five minutes before they were due to be debated. He is getting 24 hours' notice. That is hypocritical in the extreme.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food with his linguistic abilities came in as Minister for Finance in 1986 with an amendment to remove VAT from hurleys but that has not been done.
(Interruptions.)
This is going too far. It is quite unnecessary.
He tabled an amendment on that one all right.
(Interruptions.)
What about the VAT on hurleys?
(Interruptions.)
The Chair is being ignored. If this disorder continues for one moment longer I will have no hesitation in adjourning the House until Question Time.
When does the Minister for Agriculture and Food intend to circulate the list of disadvantaged areas? His Deputies are leaking them all over the country and there is confusion.
A question, please.
Good news is breaking out all over the country.
Could we have the good news?
Has the Taoiseach taken the list to Brussels?
Please, Deputy Sheehan.
Has the Tánaiste noticed over the last few days what appeared to be leaks about what is happening in the North, details of discussions between the British and Irish Governments appearing in newspapers, and will he give an assurance to the House that we will be kept fully informed of what is going on? This is much too serious a matter to be the subject of nudges and winks.
It is not strictly a matter for the Order of Business.
I can assure Deputy Barry to that effect.
That we will be kept informed?
Yes.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the manner in which some applicants for visitors' visas to the US have been treated by the US Embassy here.
I will communicate with the Deputy on the matter.
With your permission, I would like to raise on the Adjournment the spiralling cost of insurance for young drivers which is a source of considerable financial hardship to many of our young people.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 74 on last Thursday's Order Paper concerning the resale of Carysfort College.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the fact that the Swiss Cottage in Cahir, the only one of its kind in Ireland, has been open for just two weeks to the public since its official opening last September and that it appears to be the Office of Public Works' intention to have this major tourist amenity in our area open for just three months of the year.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
In the light of the decision leading to the conviction of the Irish Family Planning Association in court yesterday, is it intended to amend the law with regard to family planning and the availability of condoms?
That does not arise now.
Will the Tánaiste introduce——
Deputy McCartan, resume your seat please.
I want to ask——
Not now, Deputy. I have ruled the matter out of order.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the matter of the continued failure of the Irish Government to recognise the Tibetan Government in exile.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Sir, I wish to refer to your letter received last evening when you disallowed a question to the Minister for the Environment concerning the refurbishing of Swan's Nest Courts Flats, Kilbarrack. I also raised in that question the worry of tenants regarding fire fighting equipment and if the Dublin Fire Officer was satisfied with the situation in the flats complex. Because you have disallowed this question I wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment this evening.
The Deputy ought not to have referred at all to the fact that I disallowed his question.
When you disallowed the question——
It ought not to have been referred to at all. I will communicate with the Deputy in respect of the other matter.
Is it the Government's intention to bring for debate the findings of the Craig Gardner report regarding the loss of £10 million in Aer Lingus holiday subsidiary companies?
I did not hear the Deputy. I was engrossed in other matters.
Does the Tánaiste intend to allow a debate on the findings of the Craig Gardner report regarding the loss, unreported, of £10 million by Aer Lingus subsidiary companies?
The Deputy must raise that in another way, quite obviously.
When will the Government give time in this House to discuss the implications of the GATT negotiations?
It is not in order now, Deputy Connaughton.
I assume I can ask. Where could one ask that question?
There is a procedure in the House called Question Time, Deputy.
May I raise on the Adjournment the decision by the Minister for the Environment to authorise Dublin Corporation to undertake very expensive and wasteful studies into the port relief road at a time when the local authority are short of essential moneys?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Is it intended to take Committee Stage of the Nursing Homes Bill in this session, and when will amending legislation on clinical trials be circulated?
Yes, in this session so far as both items are concerned.
I would like to raise on the Adjournment the on-going industrial dispute at poultry plants around the country which is causing concern within the industry.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
(Limerick East): I would like to raise on the Adjournment the inadequacy of accommodation for students at co-ed colleges in Limerick.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning the matter.
On the same subject of accommodation, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the question of accommodation for Members of the House, members of Oireachtas committees and chairpersons of Oireachtas committees who have to entertain people anxious to make submissions in the bar or in the restaurant. It is time the House addressed this issue and made available to Members resources which are available to office holders. I should like to ask the Chair and the House to allow us an opportunity to debate this matter. We should put resources at the disposal of Members of the House so that they can do the job they were elected to do.
All I can tell the Deputy is that decisions on the allocation of accommodation are not a matter for the Chair. This seems to me to be a matter primarily for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
I want an opportunity to debate the matter.
Does the Deputy wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment?
Yes and, if possible, I should like some time provided so that the House can debate the matter. It has got to the stage that it can only be described as a farce.
In so far as the Chair is concerned he has no function in the matter but I will communicate with the Deputy concerning his desire to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
I should like the permission of the Chair to raise on the Adjournment the failure of the Southern Health Board to provide a dental service for the primary school children in the Killarney urban area.
I will be in touch with the Deputy concerning that matter.
I should like to raise on the Adjournment the question of the number of Irish children being sent abroad by Beaumont Hospital for neurosurgery. That matter was the subject of a question tabled by me to the Minister for Health, No. 198 on 1 May, and to which I received an inadequate reply.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
With the permission of the Chair, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the present state of plans to dispose of equity in the Great Southern Hotel Group.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to raise on the Adjournment the serious discrepancy which has arisen between the Department of the Marine and Cork County Council in the estimate of the amount of storm damage to piers, harbours and sea walls. Cork County Council estimate the damage at £3 million while the Minister's officials estimate the amount of damage at £1.5 million. This is an important issue.
I will be in touch with the Deputy.
I should like the permission of the Chair to raise on the Adjournment a matter of extreme urgency, the serious consequences of the information being slowly leaked by the Government to soften the impact of the exclusion of the remainder of Cavan and Monaghan from the severely handicapped area.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like the permission of the Chair to raise on the Adjournment the serious defects that have been identified in the local authority estate at Wellview, Mulhuddart.
I will communicate with the Deputy.