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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 Jun 1991

Vol. 409 No. 4

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take Nos. 5, 6, 13 and 14. It is also proposed, subject to the agreement of the House that: (1) business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m. tonight; (2) Nos. 5 and 6 shall be decided without debate; (3) the proceedings on the Committee and remaining Stages of No. 13, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 12.30 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 Education and (4) Private Member's Business which shall be No. 23 shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. tonight.

Is it agreed that business shall be interrupted at 10.30 p.m. tonight? Agreed. Is it agreed that Nos. 5 and 6 shall be taken without debate? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 13 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal that Private Members' Business shall conclude at 8.30 p.m. tonight agreed? Agreed.

Will any legislative proposals emerge from the Taoiseach's meeting today with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in regard to jobs? If so, will the Taoiseach indicate whether any change in the programme between now and the summer recess will be required?

That does not arise on the Order of Business.

Will the Taoiseach agree that urgent legislation on a wide front is needed to deal with the jobs crisis?

That does not arise now.

Of course if does.

In relation to proposed committees of the House, I wonder if the Taoiseach had an opportunity, over the long weekend, to reflect on a timetable and structure for the composition of committees of this House, particularly a crime committee and a foreign affairs committee? Will he indicate whether these committees will be set up before the summer recess?

This matter seems to arise regularly. Arrangements for the crime committee are advanced and we hope to have it established fairly soon, I cannot say the same about the foreign affairs committee.

It is going into its second edition.

I want to raise the colleges Bill which other Deputies and I have raised on a number of occasions. I understand that the Bill is likely to be taken before the recess and that it will be rushed through in a day or so. Will the Taoiseach confirm that if the Bill is taken it will be circulated and that there will be adequate time for the Deputies to make amendments to it?

I do not know from where the Deputy gets these weird ideas. The Deputy should go back to whoever he is consulting and communicating with in regard to these matters because I can assure him that there is no question of the Bill being rushed through. It will be published this session but it may not be taken in this session.

Its publication has certainly not been rushed.

It should not give rise to argument now. Deputy Mac Giolla.

Urgent legislation was promised last October and now the Taoiseach has said it may not be taken this session. What does "promised legislation" mean? For when is it promised?

We have had a reply to that matter.

On the one hand the Deputy is saying he does not want it rushed through and now when I tell him he will have plenty of time to consider it he is also complaining. He should make up his mind.

The Taoiseach has been promising this legislation for the last three years.

I am calling Deputy Deasy.

I am entitled to raise this matter on the Order of Business.

I have permitted the Deputy to raise a question which has been replied to.

Will the legislation be introduced in this session?

I have allowed the Deputy to raise a matter which has been replied to by the Taoiseach.

(Interruptions.)

The Deputy must not attempt to shout me down. I have allowed the Deputy to raise a question, it has been replied to by the Taoiseach and if the Deputy is dissatisfied with the reply he has a remedy, but it may not lead to argument now.

It was a flippant answer.

Will the Taoiseach say whether time will be made available for a debate on the outcome of this year's farm price negotiations?

That does not arise now.

It is normal practice——

The Deputy must find another way of raising that matter.

Will there be a discussion——

I am calling Deputy McCartan.

Why does the Minister for Agriculture and Food not come back and tell us what happened?

Deputy McCartan has been called.

In regard to promised legislation, I wish to remind the Taoiseach that in the House on 12 March last the Minister for Health indicated that the promised legislation in regard to the availability of condoms would be — in his words — brought forward in this session and that he hoped for a debate after the Easter recess. Will that hope — or aspiration — be adhered to or has the legislation been fundamentally changed to avoid any debate before the local elections?

Nothing of the kind. The legislation is on its way and it is still hoped to introduce it in this session.

Is the Taoiseach aware of the widespread concern in south Donegal arising from a most serious incident at the weekend when a family home was taken over and an entire family, including a one year old child, were held hostage for 36 hours?

I thought the Deputy was raising a matter relevant to the Order of Business. However, it is not in order now and I am sure he will find an appropriate time to raise it.

Is the Taoiseach aware that the Minister for Justice has ordered — I repeat ordered — gardaí not to chase speeding joyriders?

Please, Deputy Lee, this is making a mockery of the Order of Business. I am calling Deputy Rabbitte.

I am endeavouring, in an orderly——

Resume your seat.

I am trying to raise this matter——

I ask the Deputy for the second time, to resume his seat.

I am merely trying to——

For the third time, I am asking the Deputy to resume his seat. I think he had better leave the House.

A Cheann Comhairle——

Deputy Lee, I think you had better leave the House.

I think it is very unfair; I am trying to raise——

The Deputy is raising a matter which is completely out of order now. The Deputy must know that. Deputy Rabbitte.

It is a very serious point of order.

Deputy Lee, I have warned you many times; I must now ask you to resume your seat or leave the House.

I will leave the House under protest. The Minister for Justice——

The Deputy does not have to leave the House if he remains in order.

May I ask the Taoiseach if he will inform the House when we can expect the statement on the Tallaght Hospital and if money will be provided?

I thought that Deputy Rabbitte would show more respect for the Chair and the House at this juncture.

I respect the Chair, a Cheann Comhairle, but the Taoiseach has no respect for the House. This statement is going to be made outside the House and I want to know if there will be a financial allocation.

The Deputy may not raise that matter now.

Last week the Taoiseach indicated that he thought it would be neither useful nor essential for the House to have a debate on matters arising from the two European Community intergovernmental conferences. May I ask him, following the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers in Dresden over the weekend and the ECOFIN Council meeting if he still holds that view and if he intends to provide time between now and the end of this session, I presume in July, for a debate on the report on the Luxembourg Council?

How does this relate to legislation?

It relates to business.

I told the House that I would be in a better position to give a judgment in that matter after my meeting with the President of the Community, Prime Minister Santer, tomorrow, but it is something which the Whips might discuss after that.

Thank you.

As the Taoiseach is aware, there is a statutory obligation on the Government to publish every six months a report on activities in the European Community and to have it debated here. May I ask him, in view of the fact that Deputy Deasy has raised a very serious question about the agricultural price talks and in view of other pending developments in the European Community——

The matter has been ruled out of order.

——if he will arrange to have a debate in the near future on the latest report?

That matter was ruled out of order earlier by the Chair.

This relates to a specific and separate matter — the issue of a report on activities in the European Community which the Government are statutorily obliged to publish. I am asking the Taoiseach if he would agree to have a debate as a matter of urgency on this report in view of the important matters which arise from it.

It is a custom more honoured in the breach than in the observance but I do not know if we will be able to find time for it this session.

Could we agree to have a debate on a Friday, for instance, to discuss that matter——

Perhaps that is a matter on which the Whips could decide.

——in view of the fact that it is not a matter for which Deputies need to be whipped to be here?

Perhaps the Whips might discuss the matter.

Has the Taoiseach any plans to introduce Supplementary Estimates between now and the day we rise to make up some of the serious shortfalls in some services, specifically the health service——

The Deputy should put down a question on the matter.

——given that services for the mentally handicapped are under-funded and in some cases are not even being provided?

Deputy Durkan.

May I ask if Supplementary Estimates will be introduced?

Put down a question, Deputy.

(Interruptions.)

I am going on to the business ordered after this question.

May I ask when the Government intend to introduce the necessary legislation to allow the local authorities process the shared ownership loan scheme?

I have dealt with that matter several times.

I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle——

That question has been asked already.

Unfortunately, that is not an answer. Obviously, the Taoiseach is under a misapprehension because that is not the situation. The matter is not being dealt with and the scheme is being held up. It has been promised and the local authorities do not know what to do. We have been asked again and again when the scheme is going to be announced properly.

Do not hold your breath because you will be disappointed. It will be done this week.

(Interruptions.)
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