It is proposed to take Nos. 11, 12 and 13. By agreement, it is also proposed that business shall be interrupted at 10.30 tonight. It is further proposed that No. 11 shall be decided without debate. Private Members' Business shall be No. 25 and shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal that business be interrupted at 10.30 p.m. satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal that No. 11 be decided without debate agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal that Private Members' Business, No. 25 shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. satisfactory? Agreed.
When do the Government propose to publish their proposals for the declaration of Members' interests?
As soon as possible.
Will there be an opportunity to discuss this matter before they come into effect? Is it not the case that these are due to come into effect in September? If they are to be debated here they have to be published in advance of the end of June. That leaves us with little more than four weeks for their publication. Will the Taoiseach be a little bit more precise than this gramophone record of "as soon as possible"?
As soon as they are ready they will go to the Committee for Procedure and Privilege for discussion and then they will come back here to be dealt with.
Yesterday I raised the question of the apparent change of direction by the Taoiseach's Department in relation to questions in the House. I had hoped from the Taoiseach's response that the questions might have been put on the Order Paper as they should have been, for today. Does the Taoiseach now intend that questions which were tabled by many Members in this House regarding statements he made in Killarney in relation to the Shannon region will be answered by him next week, seeing that he will not answer them this week?
The details the Deputy is looking for will be obtained from the appropriate Minister and the appropriate Department.
You made the statement.
I outlined it and then it goes back to the other Ministers. There is nothing new about that.
(Interruptions.)
The Taoiseach is aware, I am sure, that section 1 (c) of the Referendum Bill which we are currently debating provides for the distribution of a statement to every elector in relation to the referendum. Given that An Post have now effectively sacked 2,600 staff in the Dublin area, will the Taoiseach say how he proposes to ensure that the information provided for in this Referendum Bill will be circulated and if the Taoiseach and the Government will make some effort to bring the dispute to an end?
The dispute in question has been the subject of discussion in the House and there is a more appropriate way of dealing with the matter, Deputy. It is not in order now.
(Interruptions.)
When will the special committee to deal with the Solicitors (Amendment) Bill be established and when will it come before the House for approval? Will the Taoiseach or his Whip be disposed to discuss with Members in the House who do not attend Whips' meetings, the composition and strength of this committee? With regard to the Taoiseach's great programme of reform, there are up to 16 separate pieces of legislation which have been promised but none is forthcoming. The Taoiseach advised me in a previous reply that the Bill to deal with homosexual rights, which is necessary because the European Court indicated that Ireland is in breach of the European Convention, was in preparation. Will the Taoiseach confirm that that is so? Would the Taoiseach indicate that the current Minister for Justice has not scuppered that legislation and taken it from the draftspeople, as seems to be indicated?
I have to dissuade Members from raising a number of matters concurrently and from embarking on what are tantamount to speeches.
The committee for the Solicitors (Amendment) Bill will be discussed between the Whips. With regard to the Deputy's second question, that Bill is in the very early stages of preparation.
If the Committee on Procedure and Privileges agree to the proposal for the establishment of the Committee on European Affairs, will that committee be formally constituted before the end of this session and will they be able to discuss in detail some of the aspects of the Maastricht Treaty and some of the subsequent developments after Maastricht, including the size and the extent of the Cohesion Fund in a committee stage-type debate, with Ministers?
I do not see any reason the committee would not be formally constituted as soon as possible after its return from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Secondly, that committee have their proposed terms of reference at present in regard to the matters with which they can deal.
In view of the widespread interest in this issue, the fact that so far the public have not received the degree of information I know the Taoiseach would like them to have, can he give the House an undertaking that, if that committee wished to discuss in detail aspects of the Maastricht Treaty and subsequent European developments, he would undertake that the relevant Ministers would make time available to attend meetings of that committee, making themselves and their officials available in the interests of democracy and open government?
That committee will decide within their terms of reference what they wish to discuss at any given time. Anyway I will not be blocking anything.
Open government here we come.
Would the Taoiseach attempt to break the deadlock in the dispute involving the free legal aid services? On the one hand the Minister talks about a crackdown on crime but, because of the present dispute, hardened criminals are allowed loose on the streets of our cities, especially in Cork.
I am sorry, Deputy Allen, there are other ways of raising that matter.
It has continued for almost a year now. What is the Minister doing about it. We can only hear about such matters on the radio on the "Gay Byrne Hour." There should be a crackdown but the Minister is smug about the overall position.
The Deputy has many ways of raising that matter.
I have used every avenue available to me and I want an answer.
On the Order of Business, in view of the continuing deterioration of county and secondary roads, particularly in my county, would the Taoiseach say when the Roads Bill, 1991, will be reinstated on the Order Paper?
It will be reinstated as soon as possible, subject to discussion by the Whips.
Does the Taoiseach envisage that the discussion paper on marital breakdown will be published this term? Will he say whether it will be linked to the promised legislation on joint ownership of the family home? I am referring to the discussion paper on marital breakdown promised last year?
I answered that question yesterday. It is coming along nicely, is progressing continuously, and will be presented as soon as possible.
This term?
Hopefully.
A Cheann Comhairle, may I seek your indulgence. I should really have raised this point on Item No. 11 — that is the motion to take the Finance Bill, 1992, in Special Committee. Would the Taoiseach consider allowing an extra Member on that Special Committee. I would remind the House that I am a chartered accountant and contributed, I think, very intelligently and thoroughly to the debate on Committee Stage of the Finance Bill last year and indeed before that. I consider it a disservice to the house that somebody of my technical qualifications should be excluded from assisting the Special Committee in this matter.
(Interruptions.)
As the Green Paper on Education will have had a gestation period of exactly two years this month, would the Taoiseach say if and when this long awaited Green Paper, the subject of numerous official and unofficial leaks, will be published? Can we have a definite date?
As soon as possible. It is very nearly ready. I know that Deputy Jim Higgins was abroad when the summary was produced. Nevertheless, we will furnish him with the full Green Paper as soon as possible.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister was all at sea.
Would the Taoiseach inform the House what arrangements are in place for a version in the Irish language of the White Paper on the Treaty on European Union to be circulated and whether printing arrangements have been made for circulation, again in the Irish language, of the booklet entitled A Short Guide to the Maastricht Treaty. What arrangements have been made for its circulation in the Irish language in the Gaeltacht?
There is an Irish translation of the Treaty available.
Sir, that is not the question I asked. My question was about the White Paper, not about the Treaty. I am aware that there is a requirement, whether or not we like it, to put Treaty documents into the working languages of the Community. That was not my question. My question was about the White Paper and the document, A Short Guide to the Maastricht Treaty. What arrangements are in place for its circulation in the Irish language — in so far as it is an amendment of the Constitution of which the Irish language version is the one which prevails? Would the Taoiseach say what arrangements are in place?
I will communicate with the Deputy when I ascertain the final details.
(Interruptions.)
Would the Taoiseach inform the House whether the Government intend introducing legislation to establish a council for the status of people with a disability, as was suggested in reports yesterday?
It is not promised legislation. I met the Council for the Disabled yesterday, and was impressed with their very strong view that a council for the status of the disabled be established. I am making arrangements to have one of their members included in the Monitoring Committee on the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. I am giving very serious consideration to the establishment of such a council for the status of the disabled.
Would the Taoiseach say when it is proposed to implement the provisions of the Health (Nursing Homes) Bill, or when the necessary regulations will be introduced?
I understand it is not promised legislation.
Deputies
The legislation has been passed.
The legislation has been passed. Obviously the Taoiseach had other things on his mind at the time.
He was nursing his back benchers at the time.
I will communicate with the Deputy when I ascertain the true position.
I am calling item No. 11.
A Cheann Comhairle, I did not get an answer to my question.
It is in the post.
(Interruptions.)
When does the Taoiseach propose to publish legislation to deal with the ratification of the Salvage Convention? Will it be taken this session?
(Interruptions.)
A Cheann Comhairle, it is promised legislation.
When was it promised?
It was promised in this House.
I see Deputy Seán Ryan offering.
A Cheann Comhairle, I am entitled to an answer. It is promised legislation and I am entitled to an answer. I am quite serious, it was promised in the House.
(Interruptions.)
I am sorry, Deputy, I cannot compel any Member of this House to speak if he does not wish to do so.
On a point of order, it has been the custom in this House that when legislation is promised and a Deputy raises a question in relation to it the Taoiseach answers him. I think that should prevail in this case.
That is the Taoiseach's prerogative.
I understand it is not promised but I will communicate with the Deputy when I ascertain the exact details.
Has the Minister for Labour any plans to get the Labour Relations Commission to intervene in the ports dispute since this is a very important, urgent matter?
Please, Deputies, let us not turn the Order of Business into a mini Question Time.
(Limerick East): Would the Taoiseach say when the legislation promised to regulate the Stock Exchange——
I cannot hear the Deputy.
The Telephone Tapping Bill is being taken.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick East): Will the Taoiseach say when the Bill to regulate the Stock Exchange, which was promised, will be introduced?
It is expected it will be ready to go to Government by the end of this month.
Deputies Rabbitte and Finucane rose.
The House must make up its mind about the Order of Business. I am calling Deputy Finucane.
In view of the concern expressed by other European members in relation to the level of EC funding, can the Taoiseach assure the House in relation to his consistent projection of £6 billion? Is this an honest figure or will we continue to fool the Irish electorate in this matter?
This is a matter for the ensuing debate, Deputy.
In regard to the Industrial Relations Act, 1990, and the commitment to good codes of industrial practice, does the Taoiseach envisage any possibility of using those instruments to intervene in the dispute in Dublin docks to restore an essential facility for Irish——
Doubtless Deputy Rabbitte and his colleagues will find a more appropriate way of raising that matter.