It is clear from the responses given by the Taoiseach that he does not intend to recall the Dáil to discuss the report of the beef tribunal and intends to hand it over to the Tánaiste to whitewash the Taoiseach's involvement as happened in the case of the passports for sale affair.
Order of Business (Resumed).
Has the Deputy something to raise on the Order of Business?
How low can we get?
The great accuser has become the great house painter.
The Deputy needs a holiday badly.
The Deputy should do a bit of farming; I hear he is good at it.
Perhaps the Minister of State will avail of the opportunity to clarify what he said to the media in relation to the beef tribunal. Will the Taoiseach indicate if the Government is preparing legislation to provide for a third banking force in the economy and, if so, will it be published during the summer recess?
Has this legislation been promised?
No.
Legislation has been promised.
Not at all.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Order, please; let us conform to the Order of Business.
The legislation has certainly been promised both in the Programme for Government and by several members of the Labour Party who are members of the Government.
I am not in a position to decide.
The Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht said it was Government policy.
Deputy Harney must learn to obey the Chair.
Legislation has been promised; the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht said it was Government policy.
I will ask the Deputy again——
Is it Government policy? The Taoiseach is shaking his head to indicate "no".
I will not allow the Deputy to treat the Chair in this disdainful fashion.
It is not the Chair, it is the Government.
Has the legislation to which the Deputy has referred been promised in the House?
Yes.
No.
I realise, a Cheann Comhairle, that by the time you have got to me your patience has been stretched.
I hope the Deputy will not tax it further.
I hope you will bear in mind that this is the last day of the session.
I am very conscious of that.
Your travail will be over for a few months and I ask you to hear me out on the points I want to raise. Having regard to the fact that Mr. Justice Costello made an order last week restraining a 15 year-old pregnant girl from leaving this jurisdiction will the Taoiseach indicate when he intends to ensure that the will of the people who decided that the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution would not restrict freedom to travel will be respected and when he will introduce freedom of information legislation to which women are entitled in terms of the options available to them when they have crisis pregnancies?
This matter was raised yesterday morning also.
I have nothing further to add to the response I gave in the House yesterday and on many other occasions in recent weeks.
This must not lead to argument.
I find that unacceptable having regard to the current position. This is a serious matter and the Taoiseach should respond.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach a simple question to which I want a simple answer. Will he give an assurance that once the report of the beef tribunal is made available he will publish it immediately?
That matter has been raised so often.
Will the Taoiseach publish it immediately?
The Deputy also needs a holiday.
Can I get an answer? Will it be published?
The Deputy, who is familiar with the procedures of this House, knows full well that the beef tribunal was set up to investigate and report back to this House and he should not even have to ask the question.
Will it be published immediately?
Order, please; Deputy Deasy has been on his feet for some time and he must be heard.
I wish to raise two matters one of which is light-hearted and the other not so. Will the Taoiseach invite the leaders of the Opposition parties to the finals of the World Cup, if we reach that stage, as did his predecessor — there is a precedent for this——
This is light relief.
——and if not the leaders, then those of us who are interested?
It might clash with the recall of the Dáil.
Not alone will I bring the Deputy but I will get him a ticket.
The great fixer.
I expect the Deputy to be the new leader by that stage. I hear there will be changes during the summer.
Charlie Haughey invited everyone.
It is this summer that the Taoiseach need worry about. He will be in trouble this year.
After the reshuffle.
In view of the highly unsatisfactory outcome to the judicial inquiry into the Guildford Four case will the Government be taking the matter to the European Court of Human Rights and, for that matter, the cases of the Birmingham Six and the Maguire family?
The Deputy should have dealt with that matter in a more appropriate manner; it is not relevant to the Order of Business. I appreciate, however, that it is important.
This matter only came to light last night.
There are procedures which must be adhered to.
Will the Government take action to defend defenceless Irish people?
The Deputy will have ample opportunity of ventilating his views on that matter——
Next October.
——when the debate on the Estimates resumes shortly.
It is the Government's job to take action.
I wish to refer to the matter which has been raised by other Deputies and by me earlier this week, the introduction of freedom of information legislation to allow women receive information on abortion and the introduction of legislation dealing with the substantive issue. When we resume in October it will have been two years since the legislation was formally promised in this House.
I must dissuade the Member from making a speech.
It is precisely because it has been long fingered——
That should be adequate, Deputy. Perhaps we can have a reply.
——that a child has been interned to prevent her from terminating a pregnancy in a case involving incest.
I have afforded the Deputy an opportunity of raising the matter. She may not make a speech and she knows this.
We are about to have a three month vacation by which time——
The Deputy should please resume her seat.
This is a very important matter——
I ask the Deputy again to please resume her seat.
——concerning the rights of women in this country who are being interned.
For the third time I ask the Deputy to resume her seat. Let us come to the business of the House proper.
Will the Taoiseach answer the question?
No, I am moving now to deal with——
On a point of order, Deputy O'Donnell raised a question relating to the substantive issue and the Taoiseach has not responded.
I am sorry, Deputy. I am moving to item No. 1, the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) (Amendment) Bill, 1993.
Can I ask a question?
I am on my feet putting a matter to the House and I will hear nothing.
Suigh síos.
A Cheann Comhairle, may I ask a question?