It is proposed to take No. 16.
Order of Business.
Would the Taoiseach be prepared to provide time for a discussion in this House on the proposals of An Post to deprive 1,500 families of their livelihood, and failing that would he be prepared to agree that An Post give a briefing to the Joint Committee on State-Sponsored Bodies on the circumstances that have led to them making this decision, in view of the serious implications for the families concerned.
I would expect the Deputy to raise the matter at a more appropriate time.
I appreciate that there are serious limitations as to what one may raise here, and I do not wish to cause any difficulty, but I am sure the Taoiseach is aware of the seriousness of the matter and would wish that the House, by whatever means, should be allowed to express concern about the matter, and be informed.
The matter to which the Deputy refers is not one for the Order of Business.
Is it the intention of the Taoiseach or the Minister for Communications to seek time today to give an account to the House as to why this information from An Post has emerged in the way it has——
I have already ruled on the matter.
——having regard to the fact that 550 sub-post offices will close——
Deputy Quinn, I cannot allow you to continue.
——affecting the work of the Minister for Social Welfare——
There are ways and means of raising this matter in this House.
This happens to be one of them.
It is not in order now.
With due respect, it is perfectly in order for me to ask if time will be made available.
With due respect to procedures in this House I must insist that you now desist from any further reference to the matter.
I put it to you, without contesting your ruling, that it is in order for me to ask the Taoiseach if time will be made available today.
The Chair says it is not in order now.
Is this why Deputy Raphael Burke got out of Communications?
Deputy Pat McCartan, please.(Interruptions.)
A Cheann Comhairle——
Is it on the same subject?
Yes. On Tuesday——
I have ruled on the matter.
I am making a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle.
I will not accept a point of order in dealing with a matter of disorder.
You have not heard the point of order.
I asked the Deputy if it was on the same subject and he said, yes.
Yes, and I want to make the point of order. On Tuesday you ruled out of order a question from me dealing specifically with the detail of the announcements made yesterday by An Post.
Deputy, my rulings will not be challenged in this manner.
Could I ask therefore, how it is possible to raise this matter in this House, if it is not possible in either of the ways that I have attempted?
My office will be glad to advise you in the matter.
Could I ask the Taoiseach, in the absence of the Minister for Justice if in view of the ruling of the Dublin Circuit Court yesterday in a matter concerning the admission of forensic evidence, in particular genetic fingerprinting, it will now be a matter of urgent priority for the Government to bring forward the promised Criminal Evidence (Amendment) Bill which the Minister for Justice said——
Is this legislation promised?
Yes. It was promised vehemently by the Minister in the course of the debates on the Forensic Evidence Bill, when I pointed out that we would run into difficulties as a matter of evidentiary proof in the court, in attempting to implement the incomplete Bill on Forensic Evidence. The Minister said it would be dealt with in the——
Do we have a reply?
Specific legislation of the type referred to by the Deputy has not been promised in accordance with the rules the Chair has laid down.
I do not wish to challenge the Chair but I certainly wish to challenge the Taoiseach's statement. It was a very specific undertaking.
The Taoiseach in this House says that the legislation was not formally promised in the House and the Chair accepts that.
Well, could I ask——
Deputy Toddy O'Sullivan.
Will the Taoiseach do no more than consult with the Minister for Justice as to what he undertook in respect of this matter.
Please. Deputy O'Sullivan.
I intend to get back on this matter.
Will the Minister for Communications be prepared to make a statement on the so-called viability plan from An Post which will lead to the loss of 2,500 jobs, not 1,500 as has been suggested?
I have ruled on that matter.
What is the ruling?
I have asked that the Minister would make a statement, not that time will be made available.
Will the Chair accept a Private Notice Question? Will that be in order? We want to be orderly.
The Chair will give the utmost consideration to any matter of that kind.
Thank you.
Without promising. I will look carefully at the matter, Deputy.
How carefully will you look at it?
Leave it to me.
I am indicating to the House that the Fine Gael Party will be seeking to raise the issue of An Post with the Joint Committee on State-Sponsored Bodies.
Has the Taoiseach made any progress on the amending legislation concerning the powers of the Comptroller and Auditor General which he promised in this House he would expedite, in view of the fact that the Comptroller is currently working under legislation enacted by the Houses of Parliament at Westminster in 1866 and in view of the fact that NESC have indicated that the enhancement of the Comptroller's powers would be important to the control of public spending.
Is that a matter for us now?
The legislation is wending its way tortuously through the procedures. At the risk of being grossly disorderly, a Cheann Comhairle, I can inform you and the Deputy that it has already been decided that An Post should come before the committee mentioned.
The Taoiseach said what I was about to say. I wanted to tell Deputy Bruton that the matter has already been taken up with An Post. I formally proposed it at this week's meeting.
In view of the huge profits made by the Irish Sugar Company, which are to the great credit of management and workers, I would ask the Taoiseach or the Minister for Agriculture and Food to agree to withdraw the Sugar Bill.
As this is the last scheduled day for debate on the budget, will the new Minister for Defence take the opportunity to outline his policies on Defence? Has he anything to say to the House with regard to his intended programme.
That matter can be raised on the budget proper.
I refer to the Second Interim Report of the Committee of Public Accounts on the Appropriation Accounts, 1987, which has been on the Order Paper for seven or eight months. I raised the matter previously and the Taoiseach indicated that the Whips would consider trying to make some time available to debate it. The Taoiseach might reactivate the matter.
Certainly.
Will the Government provide time next week to discuss problems in agriculture arising from proposals from the EC Commission and the GATT talks?
It does not arise now.
I am asking the Taoiseach to provide time.