It is proposed to take Nos. 3, 9 and 10. It is also proposed that the proceedings on Committee Stage of No. 9, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 7 p.m. by one question which will be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only amendments set down by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. Private Members' Business shall be No. 18.
Order of Business.
Are the proposals for dealing with No. 9 agreed? Agreed.
In view of the references to the topic by Ministers and others, will the Taoiseach consider setting up an ad hoc committee of the Dáil to investigate allegations that Irish banks impose unreasonably high charges on customers for some transactions and may be recouping overseas losses at the expense of Irish customers?
That is hardly a question for the Order of Business.
In relation to promised legislation, may I ask the Taoiseach when the legislation promised by the Minister for Agricuture and Food in this House on 24 April in relation to new penalties for people using angel dust will be introduced? Perhaps he will also explain the delay in relation to this.
It is in the programme for this session.
In relation to promised legislation, is it the Taoiseach's intention to bring the new Programme for Government before the House? If we mention anything in regard to legislation arising from the new Programme for Government you, a Cheann Comhairle, will tell us that it has not been promised in the House. Will the Taoiseach bring the programme before the House — as was previously the case — so that we will be able to raise issues arising out of it in the coming year?
I do not think there will be an opportunity to bring it before the House, although I do not rule it out. However, the Deputy can take it——
By whom?
——that I am now promising, in the House, all the legislation set out in the programme. He will be perfectly at liberty to ask me any questions about it.
I thank the Taoiseach.
Convey that to the Ceann Comhairle.
It is on the record.
It is such a comprehensive and far-reaching reforming programme of legislation that I will be absolutely delighted to keep the House fully informed of every aspect——
I am sure the Taoiseach would be. It might be called a single transferable problem.
Yesterday a historic agreement was reached between the EC and the EFTA countries. Arising out of that I wish to ask the Taoiseach two questions. Is it intended to report to the Dáil on the benefits — and indeed the disadvantages — so far as Ireland is concerned? I understand the agreement must be ratified by the Dáil. When will that be done?
I am not sure that——
I do not think it needs to be specifically ratified by the Dáil as it is covered by the normal European Community legislation framework. I promised the House a debate on European affairs generally before Maastricht and perhaps we could avail of that debate to discuss it.
That would be satisfactory. I am not sure if I accept the Taoiseach's viewpoint in respect of ratification but the matter can be looked at.
The Programme for Government to which the Taoiseach just referred talked about establishing a European affairs committee. I understand that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Secondary Legislation, which deal with European legislation, have recommended that their terms of reference be changed and that they should become the European affairs committee. Has the Taoiseach given any consideration to this matter? If it is the same committee referred to in the new joint Programme for Government with the Progressive Democrats, when will it be re-established and when can we have detailed matters——
The Deputy is on the right track. It is proposed that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Secondary Legislation should be transformed into a European affairs committee which will be proceeded with as rapidly as possible.
When will new terms of reference of that committee be available? Will the Taoiseach give an undertaking that matters such as European political union and European political co-operation, which were previously excluded from the remit of that committee, will be included in the remit of the new committee?
I think the general intention is that all European Community matters will be capable of being discussed in the revised committee.
A number of Deputies are offering, I will call them if they will be brief and relevant. Deputy Sherlock.
The Minister for Industry and Commerce stated that the inspectors' interim report on the Greencore-Talmino affair will be published today. Will other parties in the House receive a copy of the report?
Of course.
The joint programme referred to earlier contained a statement that the sitting times and sitting days of the Dáil will be extended. I understand there is a proposal that the Dáil shall sit on only two days next week. When will the promised extended times begin?
I am not aware of any proposal that the Dáil shall sit for only two days next week.
Regardless of whether the Dáil is sitting two days next week — my understanding is that that is the case — when will the promised extended sitting time, contained in this document, take effect?
We will be getting on with that as rapidly as possible through the agency of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
It has nothing to do with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
These matters can easily be clarified by the Whips.
Given the Government's commitment to abolish the Eastern Health Board and their replacement by a single Dublin regional health authority, will the Taoiseach say when the proposed legislation giving power to this authority structure will be before the House?
There is no legislation promised.
The Deputy should put down a question in that regard.
The Taoiseach said that the legislation has not been promised. This document states that the Government have agreed to prepare legislation to provide a single new authority.
The Deputy should pursue that in the normal way.
It is promised legislation. It was promised three minutes ago.
It has been promised in documentation produced by the Department of Health. The Government have made a decision on the matter. Why should we deny that this is the policy of the Government when there is documentation to prove it is so? It is either promised legislation or it is not.
As the Deputy knows, the definition of promised legislation is legislation specifically promised here in this House.
Could I——
I will not permit an argument on the matter. It can be clarified quite easily in another way.
Can the Minister confirm that it is promised legislation?
Deputy Austin Currie has been offering for some time.
In relation to legislation specifically promised in this House, to quote the Taoiseach, can we be informed when the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications will introduce changes to that monument to legislative wisdom of last year, the Broadcasting Act?
It does not come within the definition of promised legislation.
It was promised last week by the Minister in the debate on the motion of confidence, or are we to pay as much attention to that as to all other matters in that motion of confidence?
I would like to ask the Taoiseach, in view of the love he expresses for island people, to intervene to urge the ESB to take over and maintain the wind energy project on Cape Clear Island?
Deputies
Hear, hear.
That is not relevant now and the Deputy knows that.
I would like permission from you——
Deputy Sheehan should raise that matter at the appropriate time in the appropriate manner.
I put down a question to your office but it was refused.
Deputy Sheehan, you may not persist in the matter now.
I would ask the Taoiseach what is wrong with 140 residents on Cape Clear? Inishvickillane is only a Robinson Crusoe island.
I am glad to see that the Deputy is getting his spirit back again. He went very quiet for a while.
Like yourself.
Let me remind the Deputy that it was I who was personally responsible for putting the wind system on Cape Clear in the first instance.
(Interruptions.)
Furthermore the people of Oileán Chléire know that full well. May I say, by way of conclusion, that the Deputy can stop interesting himself in the affairs of Cape Clear because he does not get one single vote there.
That is not true.
Deputy Pat Rabbitte.
I wonder how many votes the Taoiseach will get over there.
Deputy Pat Rabbitte has been called.
Comments like that will butter no bread for the inhabitants of Cape Clear island.
Please, Deputy Sheehan, desist.
The patron saint of conversions.
Would the Taoiseach indicate when he expects the Book of Estimates to be published? Secondly, as regards the legislation promised yesterday morning in respect of the forthcoming privatisation of B & I, will the legislation deal solely with preparing for the sale of IGC rather than taking into account the proposals submitted to the Minister by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' group of unions in the B & I? Will the legislation have regard to the submission made by Congress on behalf of the different unions in the B & I?
I cannot give the Deputy a date yet for the publication of the Book of Estimates. In regard to the second question, as is usual the Deputy will have to wait to see the legislation.
I asked yesterday about the 1987 report of the Committee of Public Accounts. I say that by way of not wishing to confuse matters because I wish to ask today about the legislation to update the powers of the Comptroller and Auditor General. I understand from the Taoiseach that this legislation is imminent — it has been imminent for quite some time. Can the Taoiseach tell us how imminent is the legislation? Will it come before the House this week or next week?
It is imminently imminent.
Like other matters.
It will be taken in a matter of weeks.
Is it not——
Order.
I would like to ask the Taoiseach when the Minister for Energy will bring legislation before the House to allow Bord Gáis Éireann to borrow sufficient funds for the purpose of commencing the construction of the gas interconnector with Britain.
Is legislation promised in this area?
No legislation has been promised.
A question would be appropriate.
It has been promised in this House. Construction must begin soon.
May I ask the Taoiseach to indicate to the House the Government's plans with regard to bringing forward legislation to facilitate the granting of loans through the social housing programme? This legislation has been promised in the House. Local authorities are having great difficulty dealing with shared ownership loan applications at present.
It will be taken in this session.
With respect, it is somewhat more urgent than that. It was originally intended to sell in the region of 1,500 houses in the current year through that loan scheme. To say that the legislation will be taken in this session means that no legislation will be effective this year, the target cannot be met and people attempting to buy houses under that loan scheme will not be able to do so.
We are having a speech now and that is not good enough.
Interim arrangements have been made——
Please, Deputy Durkan, I am calling item No. 3——
——by the Minister for the Environment but nothing whatsoever has been done to facilitate the people on the waiting list.
——Fisheries Bill, 1990, amendments from the Seanad.
The people have been misled as a result.