It is proposed to take Nos. 4, 5 and 2. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the sitting shall not be suspended at 1.30 p.m. today; (2) Nos. 4 and 5 shall be decided without debate; (3) the Second Stage of No. 2 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 6.45 p.m.; (4) the Select Committee on Social Affairs shall meet on Friday, 11 June at 10.15 a.m. to consider and conclude all Estimates relevant to the Department of Education; and (5) Private Members' Business shall be No. 12 and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. today.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal that the sitting shall not be suspended at 1.30 p.m. today agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 2, that Nos. 4 and 5 shall be decided without debate, agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with the Second Stage of No. 2 agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for the meeting of the Select Committee on Social Affairs agreed? Agreed.
On item No. 4, the fact that this matter has to appear on the Order of Business to make an order for the committee to sit on Friday indicates that the committee system is not working and that it is unsatisfactory. Has the Government any proposals in regard to this matter because if the system does not work satisfactorily the Dáil should sit four days a week as was the case previously?
As previously stated, the committee system will be reviewed at the end of this session and there are no plans to review it before that. This matter is referred to on the Order of Business, not to instruct the committee to meet on Friday, but to ensure that the Estimate is concluded because if Estimates are not concluded on the days specified there will be time tabling problems towards the end of June.
Will we get into trouble?
A number of EC directives and legislation do not pertain directly to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. Will the Taoiseach agree that those directives and legislation should be referred to the individual committee in whose remit it would be more appropriate to deal with such legislation than the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs?
We are dealing now with the Select Committee on Social Affairs.
For the benefit of the House, that matter is worthy of consideration and will be included in the review.
Are the proposals for dealing with No. 5, that Private Members' Business conclude at 8.30 p.m., satisfactory? Agreed.
I am sure the House is well aware of the threat of 1,000 redundancies in Aer Lingus and the cloud hanging over every family involved with the national airine. In regard to promised business, will the Government allow the Dáil to take the Revised Estimate for Transport and Communications which concerns this area under item No. 7, Estimates for the Public Service? Will it allow that matter to be dealt with by one of the committees in the Dáil next week so that we will have an opportunity to debate the widespread concern of Members of this House about the threat to so many jobs in Aer Lingus and the devastating effect on the economies of north County Dublin and further afield?
We are deviating from the principle of raising legislation at this time. However, if the Taoiseach wishes to respond he may.
Normally Estimates of this nature are a matter for the committee involved; we have no objection.
Will the Government agree to take Vote No. 18, which concerns Aer Lingus, within the next ten days before a decision is taken to axe the 1,000 jobs?
The House establishes committees to do a job and it is not for the House now to rearrange the work they must do. This is a matter for the committee to decide and we have no objection to that.
Last week on the Order of Business I raised the question of the publication of an amendment to the Defence Act which was promised by the Government and I was told it would be published over the weekend. That has not happened. Will the Taoiseach indicate when the Government will decide on this matter and when an amendment, if any, will be brought before the House? Will he indicate also if the promise from the Ministers for Finance and Foreign Affairs to publish a discussion document on this proposal in advance of the matter being debated in the Dáil will be kept?
The question in regard to legislation can be dealt with now, but the matter of amendments may be dealt with in another way.
On the legislation, I said last week that the Bill would be published this week. It was cleared by the Government this morning and it will be published straight away.
The second part of my question related to a promise by the Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs that a discussion document on the proposal would be published in advance of the Dáil debate on the matter. Will that promise be kept?
This is not the time to raise discussion documents.
It was promised.
In view of widespread speculation and copious leaks, the fact that the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and Mr. Fitzgerald of the ESRI had been brought to make public statements about the ESRI report and in the interests of a rational debate on the the use of £8 billion of Structural Funds, will the Taoiseach agree to publish the ESRI report so that we can all talk about the reality——
That matter can be dealt with in many other ways by way of question or motion in this House. This is not the time to raise this matter.
We should have information on what is the biggest expenditure item.
This matter may not be proceeded with now. I must ask Deputy Dukes to desist.
Why is the Government trying to hide this report?
Deputy Dukes is aware that he is out of order.
Why has the Government instructed that this report be suppressed?
Deputy Dukes must desist and resume his seat.
There is £8 billion hanging on this report.
Deputy Dukes may not ignore the Chair in this fashion.
Why is the Taoiseach afraid to bring this report before the House? He will not give the public that information.
The Deputy is being stupid. He should have listened to the news bulletins this morning.
Deputy Dukes must restrain himself.
It would do the Taoiseach no harm to adopt some humility in this House.
(Interruptions.)
In respect of Item No. 7, Estimates for Public Services, and allowing for the limited functions assigned to any committee, will the Taoiseach indicate whether the Government will make time available next week for discussion of the implications of the Estimates in general and of the understanding arrived at between the Minister for Finance and the public service unions last Friday so that we might learn what the implications are for the Estimates? That is not the business of any one committee but of the House.
The Deputy may not raise specific matters under the pretence of making a brief reference to legislation.
Will the Minister for Social Welfare indicate when he proposes to announce details of the social welfare amnesty to this House?
Deputy Allen should desist.
The Taoiseach promised legislation on this issue.
This matter has been adverted to many times in the House.
The Minister for Finance referred to this last Wednesday.
There should be an amnesty for Labour backbenchers.
I must ask Deputies to desist. This matter has been replied to on many occasions.
In regard to the promised housing legislation under which the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Deputy Stagg, intends to sell council houses to the banks, when will that legislation be published or at what stage of preparation is it?
Legislation is not promised in this area.
Will the Taoiseach indicate if the Cabinet has given consideration to the circumstances surrounding the detention of John Matthews under questionable circumstances?
Deputy Creed, this matter is not relevant now. It has been adverted to in this House.
I attempted to raise this matter in numerous ways.
The Deputy is out of order and he must now resume his seat.
This matter is very relevant. It will be too late to deal with it next week.
If this matter is not attended to today it will be too late and another miscarriage of justice——
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Creed must obey the Chair.
In view of the amount of important legislation now being introduced by way of regulations and the Taoiseach's promise some time ago to let in the light, will he allow Government time to debate item No. 9 under Private Members' Business, the annulment resolution on the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations?
(Interruptions.)
Is the Deputy referring specifically to legislation?
The Chair will be aware that very important legislation is now being introduced by way of regulation and I presume as it is legislation we are entitled to information as to when it will be debated.
It is item No. 9 on the Order Paper.
This is a matter for Private Members' Business and I am sure Fine Gael will be able to organise that.
This is Government business. The Taoiseach is running away again.
The Deputy should listen to the news.
The Taoiseach is not at a press conference now.
Will the Taoiseach reconsider his attitude in relation to what he has just said? As this House allows Ministers to make law without debate on the basis that where there is a genuine objection in relation to a particular regulation an opportunity exists for such legislation to be debated on a motion to annul. Will the Taoiseach consult with his Whip on the possibility of allowing an hour of Government time to debate this matter? My party takes this matter very seriously.
We have a request that the Whips consider the matter.
The Whips will deal with it.
I appeal to members of Fianna Fáil to prevent the Minister of State, Deputy Stagg, selling off the remainder of the local authority houses.
Every day in this House we debate Standing Orders and we seek to make this House more relevant to the real world.
Has the Deputy a relevant question?
I have, Sir. How can we make this House more relevant when time after time real announcements are made outside this House, including one made by the Minister for Social Welfare last Sunday on national radio——
I thought the Deputy had something relevant to raise.
I wish to ask what the Taoiseach, the Ministers for Finance, Agriculture, Food and Forestry have done with £1 million pounds that was promised in the budget to Donegal farmers?
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Harte should table a question on this matter. There are many other ways of dealing with this matter.
This is my way.
It is not my way and I ask the Deputy to desist. If the Deputy does not desist, I will have to ask him to leave the House.
Where is the money?
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher is smiling but——
(Interruptions.)
When will the Taoiseach give this House an opportunity to discuss the recent farm price talks?
I am sorry, Deputy, I thought you had something relevant to raise at this time.
(Interruptions.)
Deputies, please desist and resume your seats. I have said very often, but I must insist upon it now, that I will not tolerate the Order of Business being turned into a mini Question Time.
On 4 May the Minister for Health promised legislation to amend the Medical Practitioners Acts. A very intensive public inquiry into the fitness to practice of particular doctors has recently been completed but the proceedings have not been published and will remain secret. In view of the concern about these issues and the concern to ensure that justice is seen to be done, when will the legislation promised by the Minister for Health to amend the Medical Practitioners Acts to provide for inquiries to take place in public be introduced?
The Bill in question is in the early stages of preparation and consultations are continuing in preparation for that day.
On the Order of Business——
I am going into the Order of Business, Deputy. As I said earlier, I am not going to allow this time to be used as Question Time.
I refer, a Cheann Comhairle, to the circular which you sent to Deputies about raising certain matters and I am legitimately on my feet to raise such a matter.
If it is not out of order.
You will have to hear me out to know whether it is in order. In view of the promise the Minister for Social Welfare has made to introduce legislation to provide for a social welfare amnesty, when will that legislation be brought before this House?
Is legislation promised in this area?
No legislation is required. We have all the legislation we need.
Seeing that the Minister has taken it upon himself to tell us that no legislation is required, will he come into this House and tell us what precisely he is proposing?
Deputy De Rossa, please resume your seat.
During the course of the debate on the Marine Estimate the Minister undertook to look at the existing legislation in relation to the controlling of our coastline, with particular reference to the resources available to the Naval Service which has seven ships to look after 16 per cent of EC waters. In the light of the recent drug haul——
Please, Deputy Barrett, let us have a question. Deputy Barrett may not make a speech.
I am not. In the light of the recent haul of drugs in Cork brought in by boat, I am asking the Taoiseach if the Minister intends to amend legislation to give more powers either to the Naval Service or a coastguard——
There are many more suitable ways of dealing with that matter, Deputy Barrett.
This commitment was given during the course of the debate on the Marine Estimate.
Was legislation promised in this area?
No legislation was promised. A commitment to review is a different matter.
Deputy Barrett has many ways of raising that matter. It is not in order now.
A commitment to review is a promise to review legislation.
In view of what the Minister for Social Welfare has said, will the Taoiseach explain to the House how it is that legislation is necessary to absolve somebody from a criminal offence under the income tax Acts or the exchange control Acts but legislation is not necessary to absolve someone from a criminal offence under the Social Welfare Acts?
We cannot debate the matter now. I am proceeding to Item No. 4.
I am not asking for a debate on it. I am asking the Taoiseach to explain how it is that criminal law in this country can apparently be overriden at the whim of the Minister. It is a very serious matter and I invite the Taoiseach to explain it. Is the Taoiseach in a position to explain that to the House?