It is proposed to take No. 14. It is also proposed that the Dáil shall meet tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. and shall adjourn not later than 2 p.m.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal that the House meet tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. and adjourn at 2 p.m. agreed? Agreed.
This may not be strictly in order but it is analogous.
There is nothing unusual about that.
May I ask the Taoiseach if the preparations for the publication of the White Paper on marriage breakdown are on schedule and if he expects the White Paper to be published within the next month?
I could not give any guarantee about the date of publication but work on it is proceeding apace.
I would like to raise two matters. First, may I suggest that when a short sitting is arranged for a Friday that we sit through late on Thursday evening as it is quite ludicrous that the House should adjourn at 4.30 p.m. this evening and come back tomorrow morning? That suggestion may be worth considering in the future. Just like the Taoiseach, many people have appointments on Fridays in other parts of the country and most of us do not have helicopters at our disposal.
I am glad to be able to tell the Deputy that that was our proposal but the Opposition parties would not agree to it.
Not so; it was proposed by us.
We certainly would have agreed with that.
I thought the Labour Party were in favour of the Dáil meeting five days a week.
If we have to, we will.
That was a Labour Party proposal.
(Interruptions.)
May I ask the Taoiseach if he has had an opportunity to consider item No. 8 on the Order Paper since we raised the matter on the Order of Business yesterday? Would he outline to the House when that committee will be formed?
I hope to get on with it immediately.
I do not want to be seen to be persistent in this matter but it is a matter of concern. Yesterday during the course of the debate on Committee Stage of the Finance Bill there was an extensive discussion on the provisions dealing with the Temple Bar project when the Minister for Finance did not find himself in a position to outline the way in which the company would operate. The Taoiseach has given an undertaking to respond as quickly as possible and outline the details of the legislation. This is the Government's flagship project for the European City of Culture year. They have already been given access to property and money. I ask the Taoiseach to tell us when the details of this legislation will be outlined. Will we see it before the end of the session?
Certainly it will be before the end of the session. There is nothing spectacular about it; it is routine legislation to set up these companies and give them their powers. The powers in the Finance Bill are far more important than the details of the other Bills.
I will come back to this matter.
I wish to support Deputy Quinn. It is important that those Bills be considered together as without the instrument with which they will be applied the tax concessions cannot be considered in the proper context.
I want to assure the House that the other two Bills are of no great consequence. They will establish two non-profit making companies to carry out routine operations.
May I ask the Taoiseach to indicate what progress has been made to date in preparing the Solicitors (Amendment) Bill which has been promised for this session? In view of the fact that we are running out of time can he indicate when it will be circulated and published?
It is still hoped to publish the text this session.
Has the Taoiseach come to any conclusion on when the House should go into recess for the summer? I understand that there are at least five more Bills dealing with the environment which have been promised for this session. Would the Taoiseach state therefore if the Housing Bill, the Environmental Protection Agency Bill, the new dogs control Bill and the Electoral (Amendment) Bill will be taken this session or are we going to sit right through the summer?
That is a matter which the Whips can discuss to see what the practicalities are.
Would the Taoiseach not accept that——
I am sorry but we may not debate the matter now. It is primarily a matter for the Whips to decide on how business should be done.
Normally, the House goes into recess in either the first or second week of July at the latest. This means that there are no more than five weeks left——
The Deputy has made that point and made it effectively.
Would the Taoiseach issue a new list indicating the legislation the Government propose to get through before the summer recess?
And the dates thereon.
The Whips can discuss it.