It is proposed to take Nos. 13, 14 and 15. It is also proposed, subject to the agreement of the House, that (1) the proceedings on the Report and Final Stages of No. 13, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 1 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for Health; (2) the Dáil, at its rising today shall adjourn until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 June 1991.
Order of Business.
Are the proposals for dealing with No. 13 agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals in respect of the rising of the House today and resuming on Wednesday, 5 June at 10.30 a.m. agreed? Agreed.
In view of the Government's rejection of the idea of an all-party committee on employment and the fact that Mr. Billy Attley, one of Ireland's leading trade unionists, has accused the Government of sleep-walking on the jobs issue, have the Government any intention to make provision to allow Members of this House play a constructive role in making suggestions that would help relieve the growing sense of crisis and hopelessness about the jobs issue.
The matter to which the Deputy refers is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
I realise that fully, Sir, but, unfortunately, the rules of this House are not providing an adequate means to raise the growing concern of people about jobs.
Then it should not be raised. There are other ways of raising such matters.
Something must be done about it.
On a point of order, is it not in order for the Leader of the Opposition to ask for parliamentary time to debate the jobs crisis?
No. The matter to which the Deputy referred is not in order.
A Deputy
No jobs——
One in three people cannot find work.
There are many ways of dealing with that matter in the House such as by way of questions and motions.
So long as the Government have their jobs they are not particularly concerned about anybody else.
Given the unfortunate news that is emerging from Northern Ireland on the talks, will the Taoiseach not at this stage consider that the promised meeting between himself and the British Prime Minister should be held as quickly as possible to try to get these talks back on the rails?
Again, this is not a matter appropriate to the Order of Business.
The Taoiseach expressed concern on this matter in this House just two days ago and I am sure it is shared by all Members. Will the Taoiseach give his view on what the Government's position is at this stage?
The proceedings, as the Deputy can see, are exceedingly tortuous but we live in hope. The Deputy can be assured that any action the Government can take either at a bilateral or east-west level will be taken.
Obviously, I welcome the Taoiseach's statement that the Government are open to taking whatever steps are necessary to facilitate the talks getting under way. I am sure he is aware, as is everybody, of the growing dismay at how difficult it appears to be to get these talks going.
Yesterday when I asked the Taoiseach about the foreign affairs committee he indicated he was willing to consider consulting the leaders of the parties in Opposition on this matter to see if there is some way of expediting the establishment of this committee. Will he indicate if he has considered this matter and if, as a matter of urgency, he will arrange such meetings?
I have nothing further to add at this stage.
May I ask the Taoiseach, or the Minister for Agriculture and Food, when it is proposed to make available to the Members of the House the document which shows the areas to be included in the extension of the disadvantaged areas scheme and the reclassification of disadvantaged areas as more severely disadvantaged. The document has been published. Is it proposed to make it available to Members?
This question does not refer specifically to legislation but, perhaps, we could have some indication about the document.
The Minister for Agriculture and Food is anxious to have the fullest possible information made available on this major increase in the disadvantaged areas.
He has made it available to the Deputies on his side of the House.
And even they are confused.
Any area represented by Deputy Paddy Sheehan is by that fact disadvantaged.
At repeated elections the people of the area are concerned have indicated that they do not agree with the Taoiseach.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
Indeed, the Taoiseach's various visits to the area have not worked out particularly well for him; he has tended to go astray.
Taoiseach, you were lucky to survive in the extreme end of my constituency. I am warning him not to go too near it again.
That makes two of us.
Perhaps the Taoiseach will stay out of the area in future.
Definitely not. There are things the Deputy should stay out of.
What does the Taoiseach propose to do about the fact that of the 28 Bills on the Government's legislative programme for this session, 14 of them have not been introduced for debate in this House? What does the Taoiseach propose to do about the legislation on product liability, the International Carriage by Rail Bill, the Patents Bill, the Payment of Wages Bill, the Colleges Bill, the Dublin Institute of Technology Bill, the University of Limerick (Dissolution of Thomond College) Bill, the Land Bill, the Family Planning Bill, the B & I Bill, the Solicitors Bill and the Oireachtas Members' Allowance Bill? None of these promised items on the Government programme has yet been introduced. Will they be introduced before the end of the session?
If the Deputy examined the Order of Business for today he would find that two of the Bills he mentioned are included.
I know they are on the Order of Business. When will the debate take place?
Today.
Earlier I asked a question which was in order but the Taoiseach did not see fit to stand and reply to it. He said something under his breath which I did not hear. I would appreciate a reply to the question on the foreign affairs committee.
The question was not actually in order but out of courtesy to the Deputy I indicated that I have no further comment to make at this stage.
I thank the Taoiseach. I would appreciate it if in future the Taoiseach would have the courtesy to answer a question on his feet.
Since the Taoiseach has indicated that he will be introducing in this session a Bill dealing with the Comptroller and Auditor General and since there is promised legislation on allowances of Oireachtas Members and a foreign affairs committee, will the Taoiseach consider introducing comprehensive parliamentary reform, taking advantage of these Bills?
The Deputy should concentrate his fire on the legislation in which he is particularly interested. It is on target but I cannot give the Deputy a date for it. We are as anxious as he is to have it brought into operation.
Further to the promised foreign affairs committee, would it not be appropriate to end this nonsense and take it from the Taoiseach that the promise to establish this committee has now been withdrawn and that a foreign affairs committee is not to be established? Will the Taoiseach come clean and tell us that he does not have the guts to establish the committee? Is that not the case? Why do we have this daily farce?
The Chair is concerned about a rehash of this question virtually every day.
It will be rehashed every day until this man says yes or no.
"This man says"?
The Taoiseach.
The Deputy and some members of his party are probably the problem.
The Taoiseach is evading the question.
It is a good question, which is very well put and should be asked.
I seek clarification on the Minister's statement regarding the disadvantaged areas. How is it intended to make the payments in the new severely handicapped areas in view of the fact that the announcement is not to be made until after the closing date?
It was made several years ago by Deputy Deasy at the general election.
I asked the question on a number of occasions without receiving a reply and I am now asking the Taoiseach.
I suggest that the Deputy should raise that matter in a more appropriate manner. He knows how and when.
I have tried and have failed.
Having regard to business today in respect of the Health (Amendment) Bill and to what Deputy Bruton said earlier about employment, does the Taoiseach intend to make a statement soon on whether we are to have a Tallaght regional hospital and if employment will be provided there? It is a much needed facility.
I thought the Deputy had some relevant matter to raise on the Order of Business. Clearly that is not so.
It is extremely relevant.
Deputy Rabbitte, you know you are out of order. I ask you to resume your seat.
Will the National Roads Authority Bill be taken and concluded before the end of this session?
It will certainly be taken in this session but whether it can be concluded I am not sure.
Have there been any further developments in relation to the processing of the new shared ownership loan schemes in respect of which the Taoiseach did not have the up-to-date information yesterday?
I dealt with that yesterday.
Inaccurately.
It was inaccurately done yesterday morning.
Does the Taoiseach stand over a report in today's Irish Independent according to which members of his parliamentary party seem to blame the unemployment and emigration crisis on the Minister for Industry and Commerce alone, and would he accept that the blame is on the whole Government?
There is a total disregard for what is appropriate on the Order of Business.
Fianna Fáil need a Michael McDowell to speak for them.
Perhaps we could have a report on what happened at the Fine Gael meeting yesterday.