It is proposed to take Nos. 13, 14 and 15. It is also proposed that business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m. tonight. Private Members' Business shall be No. 23.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal that business be interrupted at 10.30 p.m. tonight agreed? Agreed.
In view of the continuing concern about unemployment, would the Taoiseach allow time for a debate on the revelations yesterday of the extent to which it is not worth people's while going to work because of the complex of means tests which deprives them of benefits, raises their rent and so forth? Would the Taoiseach consider that an interdepartmental examination of this subject would be assisted by a debate in this House?
That is clearly not a matter for the Order of Business. It is something that can be raised in a variety of ways.
I wish to thank you for that guidance, Sir, and to give notice that I will be seeking a debate through the Whips on that matter because of its importance.
Fine, that is the procedure.
I was surprised to hear last night, within a matter of hours of the Taoiseach refusing to answer my question on the Order of Business in relation to the family planning legislation, that the Government have decided to make amendments to that legislation. Can the Taoiseach tell us when he expects that legislation to be introduced in the House?
The position is, as I said yesterday; first of all, legislation is not promised in this House in accordance with Standing Orders. I have already indicated that legislation will be introduced but I am not yet in a position to say when.
This session?
Probably, this session.
Is that a promise?
On a point of order, would you clarify for me whether all the promises of new legislation that will be made at the Ard Fheis next weekend will be regarded as promises which can be pursued in this House——
That is not a point of order. Deputy Shatter will resume his seat.
——or will they be treated in the way they should be?
It is high time that you, as Ceann Comhairle of this House, raised at the Committee of Procedure and Privileges the question of the reform of this procedure where it is not in order to raise in the House legislation promised outside of it. It is high time that that was done.
The Deputy has representation on that committee. He might proceed to raise it in that fashion. The Chair would welcome it.
We have tried to raise this matter on a number of occasions but we have got nowhere with it quite simply because the majority on the committee, the Government, are anxious not to have these matters raised in the House.
Ultimately this House decides the matter.
They do not want to be kept to their promises.
May I ask the Taoiseach if the promise with regard to the reform of ministerial pensions will be dealt with anytime soon in this House? It was promised in the Programme for Government.
I have already dealt with that matter several times. It is not likely to be this session.
Next session?
May I ask the Taoiseach if the Government will issue a White Paper on their approach to economic, monetary and political union in Europe? I understand that yesterday in Luxembourg the Irish member of the Council of Ministers indicated support for the power of co-decision for the European Parliament. Is this now Ireland's policy?
The Deputy surely realises that he is totally out of order in raising that matter now and in this fashion.
It is time that we had a White Paper. I would like the Taoiseach to confirm that we will have a White Paper and to say when we will have it.
Another time, Deputy; not now.
Will the Taoiseach——
I am sorry, Deputy——
Can I press the Taoiseach on the issue whether we will have a White Paper?
No, I would respectfully suggest that the Deputy put down a question on the matter.
The Taoiseach would have to have a policy before we could have a White Paper.
May I ask the Taoiseach, being aware that crisis meetings are being held throughout the country by the farming leaders and the farming community and that the Minister for Agriculture and Food is engaged in very difficult meetings in Brussels at the moment, if the House will debate the crisis facing the farming community at an early date?
The Deputy will have to pursue that matter in another way. It is not relevant now.
Would the Taoiseach indicate if the Government are prepared to come before this House to discuss the very serious problem facing the farming community?
As there are less than eight sitting days left before the Easter recess, may I ask the Taoiseach when he intends to bring forward the Social Welfare Bill and if he would give the House a guarantee that he will allow a full and thorough debate on the implications of that Bill before the Easter recess?
We have had that one quite recently also——
But we have not been given a commitment with regard to the date. There are less than eight days left.
The intention is to have it brought forward next Tuesday.
May I ask the Taoiseach what is the present status of the legislation dealing with product liability? Would the Taoiseach not agree that we are already very substantially in arrears with this legislation and in breach of an EC directive of long standing in not bringing in this legislation? We must be some two years overdue. Would the Taoiseach tell the House what is the present status of that legislation?
As the Deputy knows, it is very complex and difficult legislation. There are constitutional issues involved. However, it is well advanced and it is hoped to publish it before Easter.
When is it proposed to take the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Bill, 1991?
It will not be taken this session. I will let the Deputy know when it is likely to be taken.
May I ask the Taoiseach when the much promised Competition Bill will be brought before the House?
My colleague, Deputy O'Malley, dealt with that matter the other day.
I do not want to deprive the Government of the opportunity to promise each month that it will be taken next month. I just want to give them the March opportunity to say that it will be taken next month.
I do not like being repetitive. I do not like to have to continue answering questions for Deputies who were not here when the answer was being given. That legislation will be published at the earliest possible date. It is well advanced.
There has been no change for the past three years.
In response to Deputy Byrne the Taoiseach indicated that the Social Welfare Bill will be brought in on Tuesday. I understood that the debate on the Gulf was to take place on Tuesday. Will the Taoiseach indicate when the debate on the Social Welfare Bill will commence?
It is a matter for the Whips.
I am trying to clarify matters. Although the Social Welfare Bill will be introduced on Tuesday the debate will not take place on that day. Is that correct?
I did not say that.
Will the Taoiseach indicate when debate on the Social Welfare Bill will commence?
It properly falls to be decided by the Whips. There is no point in our discussing it here and the Whips discussing it as well.
As part of the Programme for Government, the Government parties agreed to introduce legislation to regulate telephone tapping. Could the Taoiseach give us any indication when, if ever, this legislation will be introduced in accordance with that agreement?
Is this legislation promised?
It is not specifically within the terms of order. That legislation is proceeding.
When will it be introduced?
I am very interested in Deputy Bruton's inquisitiveness about this legislation considering that his Government ran away from it.
It would be fair to say that our Government revealed an appalling episode of telephone tapping undertaken during Deputy Haughey's period as Taoiseach.
This should not give rise to disorder. I call Deputy Andrew Boylan.
On a point of order, in his initial response to Deputy Bruton in respect of this question the Taoiseach indicated that he believed this matter was not entirely in order. This was legislation promised in the House on 9 November 1989 in a reply delivered to the House by the Minister for Justice.
The Deputy has made his point effectively.
It is being claimed that unless something is on some list it is not in order.
There is no need to elaborate.
The point has to be clarified. Legislation is either promised or not. If it is promised, information should be given on the Order of Business.
I would remind the Government through the Taoiseach that we are now in the month of March and almost a quarter of the year has elapsed, yet notification has not been given to local authorities regarding their allocation for the repair of county roads. Is the Taoiseach aware of the serious situation?
It does not arise now. I will be glad to assist you to raise that matter in an appropriate manner.
Are the Government aware of the position in relation to county roads?
I mentioned yesterday that good news is worth waiting for. The Deputy will not have much longer to wait. I can understand his anxiety in view of the pitiable condition in which his Government left the roads.
(Interruptions.)
Order. Deputy Boylan will resume his seat.
On a point of order, in relation to the acoustics of this House, could you advise us whether it is intended to increase the height of the microphones by the additional six inches the Taoiseach's microphone has, or is it intended to reduce the Taoiseach's microphone by six inches? I see no reason that the Taoiseach is given a better acoustic facility than the rest of us.
(Interruptions.)
On behalf of 1,800 homeless people in Donegal I ask the Minister for the Environment to tell us when we will get the necessary funding in Donegal to build local authority housing.
The Deputy should put down a question on that matter. I call Deputy Cotter.
It is now the month of March and we still have not been told. When will we be told the amount we are to get? This is the way the Government are getting the books right. The poor have to pay all the time. They do not have the muscle of some of the people in the corridors of Fianna Fáil. It is most immoral not to build housing for the homeless. It is totally and absolutely immoral. The silence on the Government side betrays their guilt.
Deputy Harte will have to restrain himself or leave the House.
I feel so strongly about this——
That may be so.
They all know I am telling the truth.
Deputy Harte, you will desist forthwith from any further interruptions or leave the House.
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Harte, leave the House.
I will leave the House. That is the decent thing to do.
Deputy Harte withdrew from the Chamber.
In the area of promised legislation, I asked yesterday if the Taoiseach was aware that our laws are inadequate to deal with white collar fraud and if the Government had any plans to introduce a Criminal Justice Bill, which has been promised on a number of occasions. I was ruled out of order.
Is this promised legislation?
The Deputy is not indicating what specific legislation he is referring to.
A Criminal Justice Bill to deal with white collar fraud has been promised on a number of occasions because our laws in this area are totally inadequate.
No legislation in the terms the Deputy is talking about has been promised.
A question on the Order Paper would clarify a matter of that kind.
You may have noticed that Deputies who are lazy in putting down questions are not very attentive in this House——
(Interruptions.)
Out of order.
Fianna Fáil councillors have been calling for more housing, yet in this House they stay quiet.
The Minister for the Environment or the Taoiseach should now afford the House the opportunity to hear their reply regarding their failure to provide houses throughout the country. Their silence is obvious. Deputy Harte was right to leave the House in protest.
I am surprised at Deputy Enright. He will now resume his seat.
I am surprised at the failure of the Government to provide housing throughout Ireland.
Please allow the business of the House to proceed.