It is proposed to take Nos. 6, 10, 11 and 1. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that (1), No. 6 shall be decided without debate and (2) Private Members' Business shall be No. 15 and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. tonight.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal that No. 6 be decided without debate satisfactory?
This is a motion to examine the research services available to Members. I urge the Government to make every facility available to the Joint Services Committee so that this study can be properly carried out. We are not using modern technology to the extent we should in order to assist Members in doing their work here in the House. I hope the Government will ensure that this will be a very full report brought in on time under the new deadline.
Is the proposal that No. 6 be decided without debate agreed? Agreed. Is it agreed that Private Members' Business will be concluded at 8.30 p.m. this evening? Agreed.
Can I take it that the Taoiseach will be making arrangements to report to the House on his Summit with the British Prime Minister? Has the any indication at this stage as to when that Summit is likely to take place and the subsequent report to the House also?
There are questions on the Order Paper today in relation to that matter. This is not the appropriate time to raise it. There is a specific question on the subject on today's Order Paper.
I will ask the Taoiseach questions on that subject later today. May I ask the Taoiseach if the Government has finalised legislation to amend our extradition laws?
I have already said in the House that that Bill will be published during this session.
May I ask the Taoiseach if he would indicate to the House when the Estimates will be brought before the House for debate? I know he indicated on a previous occasion that he expected to have them published before the end of the session. Does he expect that they will be debated before the end of the session? Could I remind him that his predecessor, when he was at the helm, was in a position to bring the Estimates forward in October and it seems extraordinary that this delay is taking place at this time.
Fair play to Charlie.
In the past number of years the Estimates have been published in December at least and we will be following that pattern this year.
I asked the Taoiseach if they will be debated before the end of the session.
That is a matter for the Whips to decide.
In relation to No. 4 on today's Order Paper and in view of the fact that a man was shot in the legs last night in Dublin and another man was fatally injured in a car incident, would the Taoiseach provide time for a debate on item No. 4, the National Bureau of Crime Statistics Bill, to allow the true level of crime to be measured so that we can begin to fight back against the outrageous crime problem which this city and country is facing?
There is a Private Members' Bill awaiting discussion in the House. Deputy Mitchell might take up the matter with his front bench in the first instance and allow them to appreciate the importance of what he is trying to do.
On 4 May the Minister for Health promised legislation to control health expenditure and in particular to deal with the problem that many health boards are not paying their bills on time. This is legislation that had been promised by his predecessor on 24 May 1992. The Minister for Health said the legislation would be coming forward in "coming months". Will it be produced before the end of the year?
A considerable amount of work has been carried out on that Bill. It is not on the list that was circulated. It is expected to be published during this session or early next session.
So we can discount what the Minister for Health said on 4 May, that it would be published within the coming months and that in fact it will be published within coming years?
That is in the coming months.
That is within the coming months, in case the Deputy does not understand language like that.
Not within the coming months of May 1993.
May I ask the Taoiseach if it is proposed to allocate the most recent NESC report on growth and competitiveness to one of the committees for discussion during the present term?
I will leave that matter to the Whips to discuss and see what decision they will arrive at.