It is proposed to take Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 6. It is further proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) No. 1 shall be decided without debate; (2) The proceedings on the Report and Final Stage of No. 4 if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 7.00 p.m. by one Question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall in relation to amendments include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice; and (3) Private Members' Business shall be No. 9 and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. today.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal that No. 1 be decided without debate agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 4 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 9, Private Members' Business, agreed? Agreed.
I am sure the House would wish to express its satisfaction at the decision of the Danish people to endorse the Maastricht Treaty, which we endorsed. However, this means that the Irish Government now has an obligation to fulfil its promise to introduce an amendment to the European Communities Act, 1972, to enable Ireland to formally ratify the Treaty. As the House is aware, even though the Irish people ratified the Treaty the Oireachtas has not done so because the Department of Foreign Affairs has not yet produced this legislation.
Promised legislation?
This legislation was promised for autumn 1992. Will the Taoiseach give an indication when the legislation will be produced by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs?
I assure the Deputy that the Bill to which he referred is in course of preparation. Of course, we also have to await full ratification of the Treaty of the British Government.
May I ask——
This matter should not give rise to argument or disruption of any kind. There are many ways of dealing with this matter and the Order of Business is not the time to deal with it.
This matter relates to promised legislation.
Fine.
Will the Government not introduce this legislation until Germany and Britain have ratified the Treaty? If that is the case it is different from the position on this matter adopted on 7 July 1992 by the previous Government where no such condition was set.
I am afraid we cannot debate that matter now.
Does the Taoiseach know?
Yes.
Will the Government wait for the Germans and British?
If the Deputy listened attentively to what I said——
I did.
I said that the Bill is in the course of preparation. Before the Treaty is ratified by the Twelve it has to be ratified by Britain and Germany.
The Government is waiting——
(Interruptions.)
I did not say that. The Deputy should not misinterpret what I said.
I call Deputy Proinsias De Rossa.
The Government can go ahead with this legislation now if it wants to.
Order, please.
The Government does not have to wait for the British and Germans.
Deputy De Rossa has been called.
The Government is wrong in its interpretation of the law.
Please, Deputy Bruton, desist.
The Deputy is jumping to conclusions, as usual. He does not listen to what people say.
I listened very closely——
I am not attaching conditions to it.
Why did the Taoiseach bring up the British and German issue then?
This must not continue. The Chair is being ignored. Deputy De Rossa, without interruption.
The Taoiseach may wish to apologise to the Irish people for misleading them by telling them——
Let us have a pertinent question on the Order of Business.
——that the Maastricht Treaty could not be amended, changed or added to in any way. The Danish Government managed to negotiate a far better agreement than we did. When the Government——
The Deputy is making a speech.
Promised legislation?
The Deputy is making a speech, and it is not in order.
This House was established so that Deputies elected to it could make speeches.
That is so, Deputy, but not on the Order of Business.
I wish to raise a question on a very simple matter not unrelated to European affairs. When will the Government introduce the Irish Aviation Authority Bill?
The legislation is well advanced and we expect to introduce it this session.
Deputy Máirín Quill has been offering.
I wish to raise a question in relation to long promised legislation. There are now only seven weeks left in this session. Will the Taoiseach say when the juvenile justice Bill will be brought before the House?
I cannot promise that it will be introduced this session but we will do our best.
The Taoiseach has given me six different answers to this question on the six times I raised it.
Variety is the spice of life.
Deputy Yates.
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Yates has been called by the Chair.
When will the Taoiseach make up his mind on this matter?
This matter should not give rise to argument now, Deputy Quill. I have called Deputy Yates.
It is reported in today's newspapers that the Cabinet has approved an entire new set of amendments to the Finance Bill and that they will be circulated on Tuesday, when Committee Stage will begin. I know policy is being made up by the Government as we go along but surely it is unreasonable to expect the Opposition parties to deal with amendments at such short notice? Will the Taoiseach ensure that the amendments will be available by Friday at the latest?
That is a legitimate question.
I think the confusion in relation to economic policy exists on the benches opposite, not on this side of the House.
Will the amendments be circulated on Friday?
The Minister for Finance——
Puppet on a string.
——will do his best to have the amendments circulated to Deputies at the earliest possible time.
In relation to promised legislation and priorities, will the Taoiseach state whether the juvenile justice Bill or the Irish Aviation Authorities Bill will be introduced first in the House?
The Irish Aviation Authorities Bill.
Promised legislation on insanity might possibly be a higher priority for the Government.
Deputy Harte is offering.
I listened to a debate in which the Taoiseach was criticised about Europe. In a different vein he should be praised, because his performance at the Eurovision song contest was quite good.
That is not in order. A final question from Deputy John Bruton.
What is the position with regard to promises of legislation being made outside the House? The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment has been promising a cap on insurance awards to people for payment for suffering. Do these promises represent Government legislative intentions?
I am sure the Deputy will find a suitable opportunity to raise that matter and to ventilate his grievance.