It is proposed to take Nos. 14 and 15. It is also proposed that at the conclusion of business today, the Dáil shall adjourn until 12 noon on Tuesday, 11 December 1990.
Order of Business.
Is the Order of Business agreed? Agreed.
I would like to raise two serious matters on the Order of Business. It appears from reports that the Taoiseach made a fairly substantial speech last night, as is his entitlement, and outlined a tentative programme for a number of years. Could I ask the Taoiseach in that connection if we will have an Adjournment debate in this House, because many of the matters he raised last night would be material to that debate? Perhaps he will tell us if he envisages any timetable for the White Paper on marital breakdown or the social and other consequences of marital breakdown which he outlined last night.
Secondly, and equally important — I say this to the Taoiseach with as much seriousness as possible — I want to raise the fact that he has not appointed a Minister for Defence. I do not want to be raising this matter every morning on the Order of Business but I would say to the Taoiseach that it is a dereliction of duty by him as Taoiseach in relation to his prerogative. Can he inform the House now of a day when he will make the appointment? Otherwise he is losing the confidence of this House.
I appeal to Members not to engage in repetition of this kind. This matter has come up every day in recent sittings. Members should have regard to that which is appropriate to the Order of Business.
There will be no Adjournment debate. I do not think we have time for one because there is a number of pieces of legislation which Deputies have been demanding and, indeed, which the Government are also anxious to have completed. We have had quite a number of general discussions during this session. However, the House will from time to time be given ample opportunity to discuss any or all of the matters I mentioned in my comprehensive outline of our programme for the rest of this century.
(Interruptions.)
I am glad Deputy Spring made the important differentiation between what I said last night and what some of the media are saying this morning, namely, that I indicated that there would be a White Paper on marital breakdown and its social consequences. That is something that will now be put into the process and in due course I am sure we will have an opportunity to discuss it here.
A Cheann Comhairle, I am very conscious of your guidance about not being repetitive, and quite frankly I do not enjoy being repetitive but could the Taoiseach give us an assurance that a Minister for Defence will be appointed before this session ends? I would say that the House would be quite satisfied if such an indication is given.
The timing of Cabinet appointments is entirely my prerogative and I will exercise it as I see fit. It is the duty and obligation of this House, when the time comes for me to make an appointment, to approve or disapprove of that appointment, but everything else is entirely within my discretion and my prerogative and I am not going to have that usurped by anybody.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Sorry, this cannot go on. If Members feel strongly on this issue they have a way out, they could put down a motion on the matter.
It will be a motion of no confidence if the Minister is not appointed before Christmas.
As you are aware, a Cheann Comhairle, yesterday by special arrangement with your office facilities were made available for the Blood Transfusion Service to come into the House. It was intended that it would be an opportunity to give a boost to the need for that service, particularly coming up to the Christmas period. By some unfortunate set of circumstances the press who were to have been present were excluded. I am asking you, a Cheann Comhairle, on behalf of us all to investigate the circumstances as to why that happened and report back to us so that there will not be a recurrence.
There seems to be an objection to members of the media coming into this House, and that is regrettable. I would ask you, through your offices, to investigate why this happened and advise the House on the matter in due course.
If the Deputy had been good enough to give me advance notice of raising this matter I would have considered replying to him now. The House is aware that I, as Ceann Comhairle, was in attendance yesterday at the inauguration of the Blood Transfusion service operation in the House. I was not aware that there was any problem attached to it.
I was completely unaware of it until I read reports of it in the papers this morning. We should look into why members of the media who had made their way to the House were then expelled. What are the circumstances that lead to that type of situation arising?
I will have the matter investigated and will see what action my office can take.
Arising from the Taoiseach's speech last night, will he say when the legislation with regard to homosexuality will be circulated? The Taoiseach will be no doubt aware that there are certain proceedings going back before the European Court, and it is important that the legislation be introduced as soon as possible.
The Minister for Justice will be making a statement in the Seanad shortly.