It is proposed to take Nos. 4 and 5.
Order of Business.
When will the budget be presented and will the Taoiseach confirm he is expecting a visit from the British Prime Minister this week?
The budget will be presented on 23 January.
I asked the Taoiseach if he will confirm that he will meet the British Prime Minister, Mr. John Major, this week.
Any visit by the British Prime Minister to Ireland or by me to the United Kingdom would be announced jointly by the two Governments at the appropriate time.
That constitutes transparency.
May I take it the Taoiseach does not know what he will be doing during the next 48 hours?
Any visit would be announced jointly by the two Governments at the appropriate time. It is possible to arrange meetings at short notice as I demonstrated on a previous occasion.
As the Minister for Finance was unable to indicate yesterday the rate of increase in spending next year — 2.3 per cent, 2.8 per cent or anything one likes in between — will the Taoiseach confirm, based on the outturn for 1995, that the Government did not achieve the expected nominal increase in public spending of 6 per cent in 1995, that the figure is 10.4 per cent?
The rate of increase in spending next year will be less than half that which obtained when the Progressive Democrats were last in Government.
That is not true.
Let us not anticipate the debate on the Estimates which will be discussed shortly.
The Estimates published yesterday provide for the expenditure of £12 billion approximately. It should not be beyond the capacity of the State to feed and help the hungry and provide protection for children such as the child sitting in the rain on O'Connell Bridge this morning. The appropriate sections of the Child Care Act should be implemented to offer children a safe place, even the children of itinerants. We hear about the rights of itinerants but there are also responsibilities.
I am sorry, but the Deputy may not make a speech.
Will the Taoiseach ensure that the appropriate sections of that legislation are implemented to provide the protection these children deserve in a year when we have heard so much about child abuse?
Speech making is not in order.
The Deputy's party turned a blind eye when in power.
The Government is providing the money for the full implementation of the Child Care Act. We would not have been able to do this if we had taken the advice of Deputy McCreevy.
The Taoiseach should not be flippant, that is an appalling answer. It is a matter of showing concern for children. I ask the Taoiseach to please take action.
This should not give rise to disorder.
We would all be on O'Connell Bridge if Deputy Charlie McCreevy had his way.
A sum of £350,000 has been allocated for the regional education boards. Will the Taoiseach indicate when the legislation will be presented in the House? Is that the tip of the iceberg in terms of expenditure?
It will be presented in April next year.