It is proposed to take No. 12, the Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 1995, Second Stage (resumed), No. 1, the Irish Steel Limited Bill, 1996 [Seanad], Second Stage, and No. 13, the Metrology Bill, 1996, Second Stage (resumed). It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that: (1) the proceedings on the Second Stage of No. 12, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 12.00 noon today; and (2) Private Members' Business shall be No. 24 — motion re. Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht — and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 1.30 p.m. today.
Order of Business.
Are the proposals for dealing with item No. 12 agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with item No. 24 in Private Members' Time agreed? Agreed.
Will the Taoiseach indicate if the Government intends to make representations to the British Government on the new legislation on security matters which it is bringing forward, having regard to the concerns of the Irish community in Britain?
The Tánaiste will meet the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland today and that matter has been the subject of communications between the Governments.
Will the Taoiseach indicate the areas of concern the Government will raise? Members of the Irish community who have been in touch with Fianna Fáil, and I am sure with the Government, have made representations about a number of important areas in regard to which they consider sensible amendments could be made.
A predominant number of the provisions are being introduced for the first time in Britain, although they have applied in Northern Ireland for some time, and experience of the exercise of those powers in Northern Ireland will be part of the subject matter of representations that will be made. We must recognise this is a matter for another jurisdiction, but that there are concerns about how the exercise of this power will affect people in the common travel area and Irish residents in Britain rather than concerns solely related to the powers. These are the subject matter of representations already made and will be the subject of discussions today between the Tánaiste and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. In the interests of the Irish community who are involved in an extensive lobbying exercise, will he indicate if the results of the Tánaiste's discussions with the Secretary of State will be made public to enable members of that community follow up these matters?
The meeting will take place today.
After that meeting.
With due respect to Members, including the Chair, the subject matter of the Order of Business is promised legislation. I have given fairly extensive replies on this matter to the Deputy and I suggest that any further supplementary information he wishes to obtain should be the subject of separate questions or direct discussions between the Deputy and the relevant Ministers. I have provided quite extensive information and I appreciate the Chair's tolerance for this breach of the Order of Business.
Can I take it that the Tánaiste will raise the issue of the transfer of Mr. Paddy Kelly at today's meeting? Will the Taoiseach indicate when the proposed equal status legislation will be introduced?
We expect the equal status legislation will be introduced before the end of the year. It is a matter of public record that the Tánaiste, the Minister for Justice and I have raised the matter of the transfer of Mr. Paddy Kelly on almost every possible occasion.
Last week I asked the Taoiseach if he would raise the issue of the light rail transport Bill with the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, especially in regard to the concerns of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and other business groups. Will the Taoiseach give an assurance to the House before the Easter recess that the Minister will engage in discussions with those groups before the legislation is published?
I seek the Chair's guidance on this matter. I can answer that question but I do not know if it is in order. The legislation will be introduced in the first half of this year.
On promised legislation, the Minister was quoted in a newspaper last week as saying there is no guarantee that the required money will be available unless the timetable is strictly adhered to. Given that the introduction of the Bill is delayed, is the Taoiseach concerned about funding for the light rail system?
The Deputy need not have any worries about that.
Is the introduction of that Bill delayed?
This is not the time to raise the matter. The Deputy may ask about promised legislation on the Order of Business, but cannot go into detail.
Can the Taoiseach be more precise as to when the Bill will be taken in the House and reassure us on the question of funding?
I have already answered a question from Deputy Callely about the light rail Bill.
What about funding?
Deputy Callely interjected with a question that was in order whereas his leader's question about the matter was not. I answered Deputy Callely's question.
The delay will cost us money.
Not at all.
When is it expected to publish the Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill?
It is expected that that legislation will be available before the end of the year.
Has the Government prepared a fresh programme of legislation for the next session and, if so, will it be published in advance?
The Government will follow the normal procedure, which is reasonably long established, whereby it will publish and make available to the Opposition parties the legislation expected to be taken during the forthcoming session.
On 1 February, the Taoiseach told the House that the control of horses in urban areas Bill would be taken before Easter. As the House is about to rise for the Easter recess and I presume the Bill will not be taken today, will the Taoiseach indicate when it will be taken?
I expect that the legislation will be published before the merry month of May is out.
Which year?
This year.
When will the truancy Bill — at this stage the term "truancy" is inappropriate — be published? Given the problems of early school leavers and juvenile offenders — everyone would have to agree that this is a critical problem — there is a need for comprehensive legislation which seems to have been put on the long finger by the Minister for Education.
Since the 1940s the legislation has been known as the school attendance legislation, not the truancy legislation. I appreciate the Deputy's affection for Victorian terms, but the school attendance——
On a point of order, the Taoiseach, described it as the truancy Bill.
The Deputy should please display the sort of approach that would allow him to stay in school.
Will the Taoiseach not allow an interruption?
The School Attendance (Amendment) Bill will be published before the end of the year. The draft heads have been circulated and are being discussed with the relevant interested parties. I am happy to tell the Deputy that he will be able to bring his forensic skills to bear on the legislation before the end of the year.
The term "truancy" is the Taoiseach's not mine.
On promised legislation, I would like to ask the Taoiseach two questions. First, what progress has been made on the Central Bank Bill and, second, what is the likely timescale for the operation of the Dublin light rail system?
I am sorry to be unhelpful to the Deputy, but I am obliged to answer questions about the date of introduction of promised legislation. Supplementary questions of the kind the Deputy has in mind relate to operational matters, such as the technical and engineering aspects of the project, as distinct from the legislative aspects and are not appropriate to the Order of Business. The Deputy should pursue his interest in the matter by means of parliamentary question in the normal way.
We are losing £200 million.
I expect that the Central Bank Bill will be published before the summer.
My question was related to the likely timescale for the operation of the light rail system. The proposed Bill will provide the legal framework for the construction, development and operation of the system. What is the target date?
I answer questions about the legislation, operational matters are a matter for the operator.
In February, the Government stated publicly there was an urgent need to introduce legislation to cover foreign adoptions but it subsequently voted down an Opposition Bill. When will the legislation be taken in the House?
We expect the legislation will be available before the end of July. The matter is not simple. Adoption legislation between states has to be based on the principle of reciprocity. Similar provisions must be applied in various countries. As the Deputy is aware, the position in China is that adoptions can be cancelled subsequently. That is not a provision which applies in our legislation. There is a difficulty in achieving the level of reciprocity that is normal in international arrangements in regard to adoptions from China because of the particular provisions of Chinese law. This is not a matter which can be easily or quickly sorted out and one does not wish, in the natural concern to deal with the matter quickly, to make legislative provisions which will cause difficulty afterwards for families. The Government is dealing with the matter with every degree of expedition consistent with the drafting of proper legislation.
Yesterday I tried to use the correct procedures to question the Minister for Defence about an incident in Cyprus in which both he and a young garda were involved. As the House is about to rise for the Easter recess, will the Taoiseach please ensure the matter is brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible? The lives of the garda concerned and his family have been shattered.
We may not deal with the matter now.
Will the Taoiseach ensure the garda is not victimised and resolve the matter as quickly as possible?