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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Mar 1996

Vol. 463 No. 1

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take No. 5 — Finance Bill, 1996, First Stage; No. 11 — Social Welfare Bill. 1996, Second Stage (Resumed) and No. 2 — Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 1995. Order for Second Stage and Second Stage.

It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) No. 5 shall be decided without debate: (2) the proceedings on the Second Stage of No. 11, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 6.45 p.m. today; (3) Private Members' Business shall be No. 22 — Adoption Bill, 1996, Second Stage (Resumed) the proceedings on the Second Stage of which shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. this evening.

Is the proposal that No. 5 be decided without debate satisfactory and agreed? Agreed.

Are the proposals for dealing with No. 22 satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with Private Members' Business this evening satisfactory?

Will the Tánaiste say if it is the Government's intention to refer my Private Members' Adoption Bill to a select committee so that its detailed provisions can be teased out thoroughly?

It is my understanding that the Government will bring forward its own Bill on this subject in the very near future.

Has the Government given up on the concept of committees since this is a Bill eminently suitable for consideration in committee?

Is the Deputy referring to the two Fianna Fáil Bills, the first of which was so bad——

(Interruptions.)

The Tánaiste was right to tell the Minister of State to stop.

Sorry, Deputy, the Bill is before the House. When I am on my feet, Deputy Woods, you will resume your seat. This Bill is before the House and the debate on it will resume this evening. Members will then be afforded an opportunity of venting their views for and against but not now. The Deputy knows he may not proceed now.

On a matter of procedure, my Adoption Bill, the provisions of which are urgently required is eminently suitable to be considered within the House committee system. Since the Government is very keen to promote that committee system——

Clearly the Deputy is seeking to circumvent my ruling. Deputy Woods, please desist. The Bill will take its normal course and proceed to committee if the House so desires.

Our only concern is the urgent adoption of the babies. Will the Tánaiste review the position in the course of the day?

This must not give rise to argument——

A Cheann Comhairle, am I to take it——

——since this is a Bill before the House. Please desist, Deputy Woods, I will hear no more about it.

A Cheann Comhairle, I do not intend to be shouted down by anybody in relation to this matter.

Deputy Woods, please resume your seat.

I will not be shouted down by anybody in relation to this matter.

Then. Deputy Woods, you will please leave the House.

I will leave the House but this is an absolute and total disgrace; I repeat, an absolute and total disgrace. I deeply regret that the Government is adopting this attitude in relation to tiny babies about whom they cried on television and yet are not prepared to accept an Opposition Bill.

(Interruptions.)

Deputy Woods, I will not have my rulings flouted in this manner.

It is an absolute and total disgrace. The last Private Members' Adoption Bill introduced by Deputy Shatter was accepted by the then Government.

The Deputy is being grossly disorderly.

A Cheann Comhairle——

Deputy Woods, my patience is worn out.

A Cheann Comhairle, if you wish me to leave the House I will do so——

I am not wishing that you would leave the House, Deputy, but rather that you would be orderly.

(Interruptions.)

This Bill is urgently required and I am being relevant. I am merely endeavouring to give the Tánaiste an opportunity in the course of the day to review the position.

May I set the record straight on this matter? Deputy Woods knows that issues arising from the Keegan case in relation to adoption need to be dealt with.

No, they are not relevant here.

Just one moment; I did not interrupt the Deputy. Within a fortnight the Minister for Health will be bringing proposals on that case to Government, the intention being to incorporate all necessary changes in adoption legislation, bring it before the House as quickly as possible and deal with the matter in a comprehensive way.

I take it that the proposals for dealing with Private Members' Business are agreed?

A Cheann Comhairle——

Are we to have a continuation of this debate?

May I respond briefly to what the Tánaiste said? The Taoiseach told the House that a Bill would be introduced in the autumn, now we are informed it will be introduced before the summer recess. Since we are naturally very concerned about these children, if it transpires that the Government Bill is introduced quickly, we shall certainly consider it.

Are the proposals for dealing with Private Members' Business satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Is there any other matter relevant to the Order of Business?

What are the implications of yesterday's statement by the Combined Loyalist Military Command? Could the Tánaiste give the House the timetable for the detailed further progress in the peace process leading to 10 June?

I have said consistently that matters pertaining to Northern Ireland and the peace process are not appropriate to the Order of Business. They ought to be dealt with in a proper and delicate manner.

I appreciate your ruling but it has been announced that legislation is necessary to maintain the peace momentum and it is under this heading that I put my question to the Tánaiste.

It appears that Deputy O'Rourke is now in order thanks to a little prompting from Deputy Burke.

Was that a prompt from Deputy Noonan?

He is a better prompter.

May I have an interpreter, please?

We did not all go to a public school.

We dealt with this matter yesterday. It is clear the Minister for Justice is considering the implications of the legislation necessary to deal with some issues. With regard to the statement which was made yesterday, the Government is seriously concerned about any statements emanating from Northern Ireland which threaten a return to violence. Our priority has been to achieve a restoration of the cessation of violence. As Deputy O'Rourke knows, meetings are continuing between the Secretary of State and various parties and between myself and those parties and these meetings will culminate today. The Secretary of State and I hope to meet tomorrow. We will then be in a far better position to outline what conclusions we can arrive at from the discussions which have taken place. The priority is to ensure that everything which needs to be done prior to 10 June will be done efficiently and effectively so that all-party talks can take place per the communiqué.

We are heading towards the beginning of the Intergovernmental Conference. A White Paper on foreign policy has been promised. What is the precise date on which it will be published? We should have reasonable time to have a proper debate on it and its implications for the Intergovernmental Conference.

The Deputy is aware that the White Paper has gone to the printers. I do not have the exact date on which it will be published but I will find out and communicate with the Deputy. I too would like a debate in the House on the implications of the Intergovernmental Conference.

Will it be necessary for the Government to bring forward legislation to ensure that those responsible for the beef fine are held responsible and not innocent taxpayers?

This question can be raised in the ordinary way.

Will it be necessary to bring forward legislation to hold those persons accountable?

I understand that many matters relating to this can be done by Statute.

If the Government has powers in this matter, why is it not using them? Why will innocent taxpayers have to pay this huge fine, from which they did not benefit?

This should not lead to argument now.

The Tánaiste seems to agree with me. This is an important matter of concern to the public. Those who benefited from irregularities in the beef industry and those who were negligent in the performance of their duties are not being held accountable but innocent taxpayers are.

The Deputy should raise the matter at a more appropriate time.

This is an appropriate time.

With regard to pending regulations which may be made by the Minister of State, Deputy Eithne Fitzgerald, under section 3 of the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995, does the Tánaiste consider in the light of recent events that she should still oversee the implementation of this legislation? This is a serious matter.

It may well be but it should be dealt with in a more appropriate manner.

It relates to regulations.

With regard to the emerging and worrying situation at Apple Computers in Cork, will the Minister for Enterprise and Employment be available in the House today to answer questions from Opposition Members for the constituency concerned?

I respectfully suggest that Deputy Quill raise the matter at the appropriate time. If it is as urgent and important as she suggests, my office will be glad to facilitate her in accordance with proper procedure.

I appreciate that.

A Cheann Comhairle, I ask for your guidance and assistance in this matter. The electronics industry in Munster is in serious crisis with the Mitsumi plant in Mallow practically on the verge of total closure and Apple Computers in Cork also in difficulty. What advice can you give me on how to get the Government to take action on this matter?

Table a Private Notice Question or raise it on the Adjournment.

I tender the same advice to Deputy O'Keeffe as I gave to Deputy Quill. I will assist you if the matter is as relevant, important and urgent as you suggest. We will find a way of dealing with it as expeditiously as possible.

That is not much good to the people concerned in Mallow.

All Deputies have received notice about the action by the CPSU which affects, among other things, the business of the House. Will the Government lift the blanket public service embargo on recruitment which affects in particular lower paid workers?

This question is clearly not in order now and the Deputy knows it.

It affects the business of the House.

Deputy Kitt may raise the matter appropriately later.

In line with a promise given by the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Deputy Kenny, will the Minister for Health come before the House today to apologise for the use of Government official notepaper to——

The Deputy should go back to Horgan's Quay.

The Minister for Health should apologise to the House as the Minister for Finance did last week.

You are being disorderly in raising this matter and you know it.

It was a serious matter.

It may well have been but this does not mean it is in order.

(Interruptions.)

Deputy Martin, resume your seat forthwith.

This Government came into office in a whirlwind and said it was going to operate behind a pane of glass.

The Tánaiste stated that comprehensive legislation on adoption will be introduced shortly. Has he sought the co-operation of diocesan authorities in the ongoing piecing together of past adoptions?

This is certainty not a matter for legislation. We will try to coordinate all the agencies and work with them. I have been in correspondence with some of them in the last few days arising from matters discovered last week. This is a matter to be primarily dealt with by the Minister for Health and I am sure he will do so.

I am talking in particular about the passports of young children which, I understand, come under the aegis of the Tánaiste.

Perhaps the matters should be raised in a formal manner at the appropriate time.

When will legislation be introduced providing for a referendum for votes for emigrants? What other referenda will take place in conjunction with it? Has the Tánaiste decided to allow a bail referendum to go ahead?

The Minister for the Environment published a discussion paper yesterday on votes for emigrants. It will go before a committee of the House for discussion and will then be considered by the Government.

What other referenda will take place?

Farmers are coming to town today to highlight their problems with the beef industry because of the crisis created by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

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