It is proposed to take Nos. 4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 10. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 11 shall be decided without debate; (2) the following arrangements shall apply in relation to No. 10: (i) the opening speech of the Minister and of the main spokesperson for the Fine Gael Party, the Progressive Democrats Party and the Technical Group shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case; (ii) the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 20 minutes; (iii) the Minister or Minister of State may be called upon a second time and shall be called upon not later than 8 p.m. to make a speech in reply not exceeding 30 minutes; (iv) the proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion by one question which shall be put from the Chair not later than 8.30 p.m. and (3) there shall be no Private Members' Business this week.
Order of Business.
I must now ask if the proposal that Nos. 7, 8, 9 and 11 be decided without debate is satisfactory? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 10 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal that there shall be no Private Members business this week agreed? Agreed.
In view of the large number of job losses that have been either threatened or have taken place in recent weeks will the Taoiseach say if the Government have plans to introduce any of the promised legislation relating to employment, apart from providing jobs for the many friends and supporters in Government committees and Departments?
I am not sure if this is in order.
The silence is resounding.
Order.
May I help the Government?
The questions at this time should be more specific in relation to legislation. I am calling Deputy De Rossa.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach two questions. First, when is it proposed to publish the Book of Estimates which are very late compared to previous years? Will the Taoiseach explain to the House why a question to him on representations he may have made to European Heads of State regarding the currency crisis has been passed to the Minister for Finance when the question was specifically addressed to him? Is this an example of the openness he has promised in this new Government? When can we expect the Taoiseach to tell us what steps he took to ensure that the Irish currency was not devalued and remained within the ERM?
When he gets to the second page.
We will debate that matter today.
The Book of Estimates will be published on 17 February. The second matter raised by Deputy De Rossa will be dealt with at length both by me and many other Government speakers during the debate today.
(Limerick East): I am glad the Taoiseach has confirmed that the Book of Estimates will be published on 17 February but what about the estimates of receipts and expenditure? Will they be debated some time before the budget. Will they be held back for a while? Is the Taoiseach still making them up?
It is not possible to put that book back even if we wanted to, so the book of expenditure and receipts will, as always, be published the weekend before the budget.
May I refer the Taoiseach to an item on the Order Paper entitled Air Raid Precautions. Does the Government know something that the rest of us do not? Will the members of the Government be taking their advisers and children with them?
Deputy, you have the protection of the burrows.
The Deputy had it on the Front Bench until recently. A Cheann Comhairle, I unintentionally tested your patience in the past by raising a specific matter here which is now expressly included in the Programme for Government. Therefore, I presume I am in order in asking the Taoiseach whether the commitment to build the Tallaght hospital will be honoured?
I have ruled the Deputy out of order on many occasions on that subject. He has many other ways of raising the matter.
Is the Programme for Government——
Nor, now Deputy. The Deputy has had a fair innings this morning.
The Deputy is looking to be heard on the air.
Will Deputy Rabbitte please resume his seat?
Is the Programme for Government——
The Deputy is obstructing the business of the House this morning. If the Deputy does not resume his seat I shall have to ask him to the leave the House.
I wish to raise a question on the Order of Business.
I ask the Deputy to resume his seat forthwith.
I wish to raise a point of order.
The Deputy knows full well he cannot raise a point of order when the Chair is dealing with gross disorder appertaining to himself.
May I request, through the Chair, that the Minister for Health make a statement of clarification today in the House on whether apple juice containing a highly toxic chemical——
Please, Deputy, I am proceeding to the business as ordered. If Members will not have regard to the business we should transact now I am going on to the business as ordered.
There has been a spate of crime in Dublin in particular in recent weeks. The Government, among other things in its joint programme, promised legislation to provide that criminals must directly compensate victims of crime. Will the Taoiseach say when this promised legislation is likely to be introduced? Will it be before Easter.
It will be introduced as soon as possible. It is a very serious matter, the Government view it as such and will certainly bring it forward at the earliest possible opportunity.
With regard to the Programme for Government, now that the Government has had an opportunity to consider its order of priorities, will the Taoiseach say if he intends to provide the House with a list of the legislation he intends to introduce this session and the Bills it is intended to debate in the Dáil this session? Will he indicate specifically if legislation to provide additional equity to Aer Lingus, which has been promised by a number of Government spokespersons, will be included on that list.
The programme of legislation for this session is the subject of a question today. I do not want to anticipate Question Time at this stage. I would remind Deputies Gilmore and Rabbitte that aspects of the Programme for Government requiring legislation will be dealt with in due course, even if that means providing shelter for Deputy Rabbitte in whatever way he wants. However, the Deputy can shelter in the thought that Tallaght Hospital will be built.
When?
In view of the imminent Government appointments will the Taoiseach consider appointing a Senator to represent emigrants?
That should be dealt with in another way, Deputy.
The Taoiseach was dealing with the list of legislation. I am wondering whether, in addition, the Taoiseach will consider providing time for a debate in this House on the list of advisers and additional personnel that have been taken on by Government Ministers? Will the House see the full list of appointments and will we have an opportunity to debate the merits or demerits of these additional jobs for boys and girls that have been created?
That is not relevant to the Order of Business. The Deputy will find time later to refer to that matter.