It is proposed to take substitute item No. 4 on the Supplementary Order Paper and Nos. 5, 6, 11, 1 and 2. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) No. 4 shall be decided without debate; and (2) Nos. 5 and 6 shall be moved together and decided without debate by one Question which shall be put from the Chair. Private Members' Business shall be No. 23.
Order of Business.
Is it agreed that No. 4 shall be decided without debate? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. 5 and 6 agreed? Agreed.
Mr. Maybury, General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors remarked during the weekend that if this country does not take on crime we will "slide into anarchy". He made those remarks following an attack on the home of a Garda inspector, the ramming of a Garda car and the kidnapping of some business people and several other crimes around the country. Two or three kidnap cases have been reported but some people say at least five people have been kidnapped recently. Does the Government propose to introduce legislation in this session to deal with this and does the Government have any plan to deal with it?
Is this related to promised legislation?
I can assure the Deputy that the Government deplores the series of events at the weekend and it will bring to this House whatever legislation is necessary to ensure we deal with the threat of criminal gangs and criminal activity both in Dublin and throughout the country.
The Tánaiste will have noticed that in the list of legislation circulated there is no legislation to deal with any of these issues in this session. We welcome the Tánaiste's statement that there will be legislation. Does he agree that the level of serious criminal activity not only in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and other cities but throughout the country is increasing day by day and that serious measures will have to be brought to this House or implemented by the Minister if we are to achieve success in trying to break the crime wave hitting this country.
We ought not debate that matter now.
In view of the comments expressed by members of the Association of Higher Civil Servants, does the Government still plan to bring forward amendments to the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act?
That is the Government's intention.
There is nothing in the legislative programme to assist the Garda in the battle against crime. Is the Tánaiste saying legislation will be introduced which does not appear in the legislative programme? If so, what is the nature of that legislation and when can we expect to see it?
We cannot debate that matter at this time.
That is the effect of the Tánaiste's remark. The latest figures will show that the number of indictable crimes is now over 100,000.
Deputies
Where has Fianna Fáil been for the past three years?
I am sure the Deputy, as a former Minister of State in the Department of Justice, is well aware of the difficulties and the efforts being made by the Government and the police authorities to combat crime. We will continue those efforts. If there is any legislation or any amendment to the criminal justice legislation which is considered necessary it will be brought forward. We would expect the co-operation of the Opposition in such instance.
Can we expect to see new legislation which is not included in the published programme?
The Minister referred to legislation. Given the appalling incident in Cork over the weekend where two gardaí almost lost their lives——
We cannot go down that road now. The Deputy must find another way to deal with it.
Will additional resources be provided? What is needed is to give resources to gardaí on the ground.
The Deputy may ask the Tánaiste about that matter on another occasion.
Are there plans to give the Garda additional resources to deal with this problem?
In view of the Minister for Finance's reply on "Questions and Answers" last night, is it intended to extend the scope of section 153 of the Finance Bill to Deputies' clinics?
The Deputy will appreciate that as I was to be on the 6.25 a.m. flight from Kerry today I was not watching "Questions and Answers" last night.
The Government jet is still in action.
Is the Government aware that matters ar going out of control when the home of a member of the Garda Síochána, in my constituency, is attacked and menaced? We have brought several other similar incidents to the notice of the Government.
We cannot pursue this now. It is not relevant to the Order of Business.
Will the Government take action, for example, in extending the schedule of offences under the Offences Against the State Act to cover drug related offences of the kind in question?
The Deputy is out of order.
Action must be taken now.
If the Deputy does not have a question relevant to the Order of Business he must resume his seat.
I have asked a question under promised legislation. The Government promised to tackle the drugs problem and that requires legislation. Is the Government prepared to extend the schedule of offences under the Offences Against the State Act to cover those people who are subventing law and order. Is the Tánaiste not replying?
Are we talking about promised legislation?
No.
Action needs to be taken.
When is it intended to bring forward the juvenile justice Bill which is on appendix C of the legislative programme? As regards Bills expected to be published this session, no legislation is being brought forward by the Department of Justice. Yesterday morning parents came to see me. They were in tears because they were not in a position to deal with their 15-year-old son who was heavily into drugs. There is nowhere in the State to put that child. When will the Bill be brought forward?
The Juvenile Justice Bill has priority status in the Department of Justice. It is being prepared and will be brought before the House as soon as possible.
It is not on the list to be published this session.
My special notice question on the very sad case of the investigation into conduct at a school in Donegal was disallowed. Will the Tánaiste say what way the Government intend to proceed with that case? Is it intended to introduce legislation to help the Minister for Education cope with it?
We cannot deal with this matter now, and the Deputy knows that.
In view of the appalling breakdown of law and order in Cork city and county, with the trafficking of drugs rampant on the street, will extra resources be made available to the Garda Síochána to enable them alleviate this serious crisis which is about to escalate?
Given the statement of the Tánaiste on 13 November last that a Government owes no higher duty to its people than to protect their children will he indicate whether the Government will introduce legislation, as indicated by the Minister for Education, to enable structures to be put in place to facilitate fair and comprehensive investigations of allegations of abuse against children in our schools? This is an urgent matter. The Minister for Education has indicated that legislation is necessary.
Are we talking about promised legislation?
We should have Adjournment debates now.
The Christmas present is gone.
(Interruptions.)
I trust Deputies Martin and Keogh are referring to the same matter. Following allegations made by the parents and pupils attending St. Mary's National School in Ardara of physical and verbal abuse of their children by a teacher, the Minister for Education set up an inquiry. She was careful to set it up along the lines of the Kilkenny inquiry. Unfortunately, it has now come to the Minister's attention that the parents are not prepared to cooperate with the inquiry. The Minister does not intend to bring in legislation. Obviously, the active co-operation of parents is required if the inquiry is to be successful. The parents have withdrawn their support from that as was stated by their lawyer.
Deputy Coughlan received a letter from the Minister for Education on 6 July which stated this issue would be resolved by the end of summer.
I am calling Deputy O'Dea to put a relevant question. Deputy Martin must resume his seat.
What about accountability? The Tánaiste spoke about accountability on 13 November. This is a cop out.
Please resume your seat, Deputy. I will only ask once. I will not have the Order of Business turned into ridicule.
With all due respect, on 13 November the Tánaiste made a statement about accountability.
The Deputy should check with his party.
We heard about it on 13 November.
What about the inquiry?
The Government is walking away from it.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy is too far away, we cannot hear him.
Do not point the finger at anyone.
(Interruptions.)
Order, please.
When does the Tánaiste envisage that the Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will be introduced? Will he assure the House that the Bill will contain changes in the law of evidence to tilt the balance against the criminal?
Is this promised legislation?
The general scheme has been circulated and it will be brought forward shortly.
On a more optimistic note — I hope I will get a proper reply from the Tánaiste and Minister who are laughing — may I ask if the Sunbeam workers in Cork who were made redundant——
No, the Deputy may not ask. Has the Deputy a question regarding promised legislation?
Sixty of those workers could be back at work in a couple of days if negotiations with State agencies were completed.
I will not allow the Order of Business to be ridiculed. The Deputy must resume his seat.
Will the Tánaiste indicate if it is possible for those people to be brought back to work?
I have been offering.
This is an important matter.
The Deputy must resume his seat. It is an important matter but this is not the time to raise it.
Sixty jobs are at stake because State agencies——
I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.
I am asking the Tánaiste to give a commitment on the matter.
When will the tourist traffic amending legislation be brought forward? The Bill is to provide for the implementation of the recommendations of the Little report on Bord Fáilte. Recent figures on spending in different areas indicate that the north east has a small take compared with the Tánaiste's area where tourism seems to be booming.
The drafting of the text has been authorised and we expect to have it this session.
The Tánaiste referred to the need for co-operation among all Members in dealing with the crime problem but I wish to point out that the only legislation before the House this session to deal with crime is the Criminal Law (Bail) Bill put forward by Fianna Fáil. Given the shared concern in the House about the seriousness of this problem, is the Government prepared to support the Second Reading of that Bill?
Please, Deputy.
Please, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle——
The matter must be relevant to the Order of Business.
The Bill is before the House and I am entitled to an answer.
(Interruptions.)
I am merely asking the Tánaiste to recognise the reality. There is a revolving door syndrome in the legal system and the Government will not support us in trying to stop it.