It is proposed to take Items Nos. 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 4 shall be decided without debate and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith.
Order of Business.
Are the proposals for dealing with the Order of Business satisfactory and agreed? Agreed.
What is the status of amendments to the Finance Bill, particularly those to section 153? Normally at this stage of the Finance Bill we know where we stand on amendments. Will the Taoiseach clarify the position and state whether he agrees with what Government backbenchers said yesterday that accountants and lawyers cannot be trusted?
The Finance Bill is now in Committee and I understand that section 153 will be reached today. The Minister will take careful note of the points made on all sides. In light of the discussion he will be able to come forward with amendments and it is valuable that in framing such amendments he will be able to take the views expressed in the committee into account.
The Taoiseach may not be aware that we have sought additional time next week to debate the Finance Bill. Will he give favourable consideration to that?
I will make inquiries about that. I would be prejudiced in favour of giving any amount of time necessary subject to the constraints of parliamentary and statutory requirements.
In view of the conflicting reports in the newspapers this morning as to the current position of section 153 of the Finance Bill, does the Taoiseach agree it would be wiser to scrap the section, ask the Minister to go back to the drawing board and bring forward appropriate proposals to deal with tax evaders?
Let us await the debate in this House. We cannot discuss the matter now. I am calling Deputy Cowen.
Will the Taoiseach reply to my question?
The Deputy knows she is out of order.
In view of the fact that we are debating issues today which are not of urgent importance will the Taoiseach indicate, given that the animal transport regulations were published on 27 April, if he will facilitate a debate in the House to deal with the urgent issue of the live export ban which has been imposed and is depriving the country, farmers and livestock exporters from pursuing a legitimate trade?
This matter can be pursued in a different way.
Thousands of farmers were on the streets yesterday and it is a matter of vital concern.
It is of such concern that it should be dealt with properly in the House.
The national interest is being put at risk by British based ferry companies who receive grant aid and are not prepared to allow farmers and livestock exporters pursue a legitimate trade.
If there is nothing else on the Order of Business I will proceed with Business proper.
May I ask——
No, the Deputy may not. He has been persistently out of order and will now resume his seat.
In relation to a matter of national importance, is the Taoiseach coming from Moscow with a message for his parliamentary party on divorce but with none for the thousands of farmers who are not being allowed to pursue a legitimate trade?
The Deputy will resume his seat or leave the House.
What is the answer?
The Deputy will please leave the House.
There is no answer. We have a silent, impotent Government which is not prepared to do anything about it.
I ordered the Deputy to leave the House and he will do so forthwith.
(Interruptions.)
So much for the Government.
I will not tolerate such disorder.
Deputy Cowen withdrew from the Chamber.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce an administrative procedures Bill have any consultations taken place? What progress has been made to advance it?
The legislation in question, which would involve extending the remit of the Ombudsman, is at an early stage of preparation. I am not in a position to give a date as to when it will be produced.
Deputy O'Donoghue is offering but I intend to proceed with the business of the House shortly.
In view of the Government's decision last night to vote down a perfectly constitutional Bill on bail — I know the Taoiseach does not like answering questions ad nauseam— but will he publicly back the Minister for Justice who announced that a referendum on bail will be held in the autumn?
This issue was before the House yesterday evening and the House deliberated on it.
It relates to promised legislation. It is to provide for a Bill on bail. The Minister said a referendum would be held in the autumn in tandem with the divorce referendum.
The Deputy did not listen to my speech last week. I will send him a copy of it.
The Deputy should put down a question on the matter.
There is one down already.
Will the Taoiseach tell us the position?
The Government complied very promptly with the provisions in the Programme for Government in regard to Dáil. Our commitment was to seek the advice of the Law Reform Commission on this matter as a preliminary to considering whether a constitutional amendment was necessary or wise. That request was put to the Law Reform Commission in January and we are awaiting its report which obviously we will consider very promptly.
I call Deputy Séamus Brennan.
The House is entitled to a reply from the Taoiseach.
I have called Deputy Séamus Brennan.
Having regard to today's visit to Dublin by the EU Commissioner for Competition, Neil Kinnock, will the Government impress upon him the need to clear the additional £50 million investment in Aer Lingus and to get off the fence.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy sat on the fence.
Given the commitment in the Programme for Government that the Government would avail of every opportunity to raise the issue of Sellafield with the British Government, did the Taoiseach raise this issue with Mr. Major during their contacts in recent days?
This is not Question Time.
I have tried to raise this matter three days in a row——
My office will facilitate the Deputy if he wishes to raise the matter in a formal and proper manner.
I take the Taoiseach's silence to mean "no".
The question is not in order. If the Deputy puts down a question I will answer it.
The Taoiseach will not answer it. He will dodge it and transfer it to another Minister.
(Interruptions.)
Given that nobody else had done so, I wish to welcome the Taoiseach back from his review of the red army. I hope he is satisfied with the state of that army. Will the Taoiseach say when the Government intends to reintroduce the Court and Court Officers Bill? If it is its intention to reintroduce that legislation, will the Taoiseach give an assurance that the Government——
The Deputy should not elaborate now.
——intends to retain the section which outlaws the wearing of horsehair in court?
The Taoiseach on the matter of the legislation only.
This Bill is at an advanced stage of preparation and I expect the Government to make its proposals within the next two months.
Will the Taoiseach give an assurance that more judges will not be appointed in the meantime?
Was there full agreement among the Members of the Cabinet that the Taoiseach was the most suitable person to attend the veterans parade in Red Square?
I am longer in this House than the Deputy.
The Deputy's red carpet was on the turf on Saturday.
(Interruptions.)
I seek your guidance, a Cheann Comhairle. On two occasions during the past fortnight I put down amendments to Bills before the House. Within one hour of putting down the amendments the Bills Office contacted me to say that because I was not a member of the relevant committees the amendments could not be accepted. I asked if there was any role for Deputies who are not members of the committee and how we could effect changes to legislation.
That has been the rule for five years.
Is this an effort by the Government to deny Deputies their right to effect changes to legislation?
I would much prefer if the Deputy conveyed that grievance to my office. If he does so I assure him I will have the matter fully investigated.
I will do that, Sir.
Given that I have been frequently invited by the Taoiseach to remind him of this subject, when does he intend to introduce a right of interruption during the course of debates in the House?
In light of the Deputy's representations I asked the Minister of State to bring this matter before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I understand the matter is on the agenda of that committee for its next meeting and it is the intention of the Government, I hope with the support of the representative of the Deputy's party — I expect the Deputy will be one of the leading beneficiaries from it — to move forward with this procedure which will be a distinct improvement in parliamentary procedure.
We would all like to see it introduced.
Its absence has not stopped us up to now.
During the very welcome visit of Prince Charles to our land——
(Interruptions).
I very much wish that there should be no such reference.
——and as a gesture of reconciliation, will arrangements be made for him to lay a wreath at the grave of the 1916 leaders in Arbour Hill? This would have similar significance to the honours paid by British Royalty to George Washington during their visit to the United States.
Please, Deputy. I am not prepared to see the Order of Business turned into a miniquestion time, especially in a situation where many of the matters raised are quite irrelevant to the Order of Business.
There should be a little bit of creative flexibility.
I wish to raise a very serious matter. Will the Taoiseach confirm that there is an urgent need for emergency legislation to immediately provide extra finance to local authorities to repair county roads which are in a scandalous condition?
This is not relevant now.
Yesterday I requested the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 30 but unfortunately I was not able to be present in the House. I requested that adjournment to discuss the failure of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry to provide funds for the horticultural industry in Cork.
Deputy Ahern, let us not make a mockery of the proceedings of the House.
He has provided funding for the people of Wexford but he has ignored the people of Cork.
I understand Deputy Ahern was rising to apologise for his non-attendance at this time yesterday morning.
Will he provide this necessary funding for the people of Cork? He has provided funding for his own county but he has ignored the people of Cork.
The Deputy has compounded the insult he offered the House at this time yesterday morning.
The Government has insulted the people of Cork and it is continuing to do so.
This is disgraceful conduct. This is not the way we should operate in the House.
Given that up to 90 per cent of the cases which come before the Circuit Court in Cork are being transferred to Dublin under the automatic right of transferral, thereby disrupting the courts in Cork and causing a delay of up to two years——
This does not arise now, Deputy O'Keeffe.
Does the Government intend to introduce amending legislation to deal with this matter?
Question Time today will be taken by the Minister for Justice and matters relating to the administration of justice should be raised at that time.
At yesterday's meeting of the Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs there was a new, radical and positive departure whereby professional bodies gave evidence to the committee. Given that we hope to invite other bodies and organisations to the committee, will the Taoiseach condemn out of hand the treatment to the Chartered Institute of Accountants by a Labour backbencher——
I am proceeding to the business ordered.
This is a very serious issue. These comments have been most unhelpful to proper procedure and the Taoiseach——
Item No. 4——
I wish to raise another matter.
I called the Deputy earlier and he was out of order.
(Interruptions.)