It is proposed to take Nos. 1 and 3. Private Members' Business shall be No. 12.
Order of Business.
Will the Taoiseach allocate time to the Minister for Justice to make a statement to the House concerning the kidnapping yesterday of a family in Dublin? Does the Government propose to make amendments to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Bill, 1993 or to introduce legislation to tackle the problem of kidnapping?
I am sorry to interrupt the Deputy, but I am sure she is aware that that matter is not in order now.
It refers to legislation and is a matter of extreme urgency because of what happened yesterday.
There are other ways of dealing with the matter.
Deputy Harney rose.
A Cheann Comhairle——
I am sorry but I am obliged to call the Leader of the next main party in the House. Deputy Harney.
Under promised legislation, when does the Government intend to publish the Bill to provide for the seizure of the assets of criminals?
We intend to publish it this session.
Arising from the murder of a man in the inner city of Dublin in the past few days and from the kidnapping incident yesterday, when is it intended to bring forward the Government's legislative programme on law and order which has been promised for some time?
Is legislation in that area promised?
The Deputy should be a little more specific, because from my interpretation of what he said no such legislation is promised.
That is the problem.
I will be specific. When will the Taoiseach restore law and order to this city and country?
Deputies
Hear, hear.
Has the Minister for Justice gone into hiding?
May I ask the Taoiseach when the imaginary 500 recruits for the Defence Forces will be recruited?
We should have regard for what is in order at this time. That matter is not in order now.
Will those people be recruited or not? Is the Minister remaining silent on this one?
The Minister has no intention of recruiting imaginary recruits.
(Limerick East): What about an imaginary power station?
(Interruptions.)
I believe I am in order in wishing the Taoiseach a happy birthday, but I would like to know if he is 58 or 61 years old? Deputy Nealon wants to know that for his book.
(Interruptions.)
I hesitate to rule that out of order.
It is in order to put my correct age once and for all on the record. I am 61.
Is the Taoiseach sure about that?
Is he included in the Aer Lingus package for early retirement?
When is it intended to introduce legislation to remove the right of widows and deserted wives to reinstatement in the civil service? Would the Government not be better off introducing measures to promote job sharing and flexible working hours to allow——
To what legislation is the Deputy referring?
Legislation in this regard was promised by the Minister for Finance in reply to a parliamentary question on 27 October in which he indicated that he will terminate the practice of reinstatement and introduce appropriate legislation to repeal the relevant statutory provisions. Has the Minister for Equality and Law Reform vetted that proposal because——
I must dissuade the Deputy from making a speech at this time.
I am sure many other Deputies would like to make a speech about the matter also.
I am aware of the court case to which the Deputy referred and legislation is in the early stage of preparation.
Will the legislation providing for a register of stillbirths definitely be introduced in this session?
It is included on the list and, hopefully, it will be published in this session.
This House recently passed the Animal Remedies Bill and we were assured at that time that it would deal with the validation of EC regulations relating to angeldust. Does the Government intend introducing new legislation in view of yesterday's court decision when a judge decided that EC regulations in their entirety have not been legitimised?
Regulations are not relevant now.
Legislation is relevant. Legislation which was passed in this House has not done the job which the Minister stated it would do.
Is legislation contemplated in this area?
No.
A Deputy
Did the Minister for Equality and Law Reform vet that one?