It is proposed to take No. 1, Waste Management Bill, 1995, amendmends from the Seanad, and No. 14, National Standards Authority of Ireland Bill, 1996, Second Stage (Resumed). It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the proceedings on No. 1, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 4.30 p.m. and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments thereto, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Environment. Private Members' Business shall be No. 25, motion concerning the establishment of regional boards of education.
Order of Business.
Are the proposals for dealing with No. 1, Waste Management Bill, 1995, agreed? Agreed.
The Order Paper states that there are three hours remaining of the time allocated for the motion on Private Members' Business concerning the establishment of regional boards of education. I understand that is a mistake and that a Supplementary Order Paper has been circulated. The motion will also be taken next week. May I take it that the Order of Business as proposed will not affect this?
Correct.
The Taoiseach will be glad to know that his constituency is in good hands today. Deputy Bertie Ahern is paying it a visit which I am sure will prove very fruitful. On a more serious note, despite any reservations we may have about the electoral process in the North — the campaigns will be officially launched today — we wish all those involved well. In that context, will the Taoiseach inform the House of the content of his conversation with the British Prime Minister, Mr. John Major? There is a need to take a benign view to bring people from all sides to the negotiating table.
I had a useful conversation with the British Prime Minister yesterday, but it would not be appropriate to establish the precedent of giving details of conversations of that nature. Obviously we both have a common objective; to make the talks which will commence on 10 June as inclusive and successful as possible. We recognise that, as Governments, we have responsibilities to give as many assurances as we can to assist the parties, but we equally recognise that all the parties have a responsibility, individually and together, to make the talks a success. We recognise in particular that the IRA has a responsibility to reinstate the ceasefire so that Sinn Féin may take part in the talks.
On item No. 35, the Bill in the name of my party dealing with the law on defamation, has the Government completed its deliberations on this matter and will we see legislation to change the law in that area?
To the best of my knowledge, the deliberations are not concluded on that matter which is the subject of widespread discussion. There are concerns that changes in the law could needlessly put individuals' reputations at risk.
Following his meeting with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions yesterday, will the Taoiseach reassure the House that the current wave of unrest and disruption in the public service will be brought to an end?
That is not strictly relevant at this time.
The House is entitled to be informed of progress in the matter.
Let us keep to issues relevant to the Order of Business.
Will the Taoiseach intervene, even at this late stage, to save the equestrian games, the loss of which in terms of tourism and revenue can be quantified in millions of pounds? Given that we are talking about holding the Olympic Games in Ireland, is it not a farce that the equestrian games may be lost to Ireland?
Will the Taoiseach take steps to ensure that in the deliberations and preparations for the education Bill there will be consultation with the Select Committee on Social Affairs? We recently learned about proposals pertaining to that legislation regarding the religious aspect of hiring and firing teachers and a back door deal that was done with the Churches about which nobody was aware. Last week we heard about a private seminar that was held in March on school inspections.
Let us not elaborate on that matter now.
I asked some time ago in the House that the heads of the Bill would be published and discussed by the Select Committee on Social Affairs.
The legislation is in the process of preparation and will be available later in the year. It is perfectly normal for a Minister to enter into consultation with various parties about the content of legislation before it is presented here, and that is what the Minister has been doing. When the proposals eventually emerge Members of the House will have the opportunity to put forward their contrary or supportive views, but the Minister in the meantime is perfectly entitled to enter into extensive consultation. The Minister for Education has been exemplary in the way in which she has consulted widely in regard to matters of this nature.
Every Labour Minister is exemplary.
On a point of order——
There will be no point of order. I am calling Deputy O'Donnell.
The Taoiseach gave a commitment to the House that the heads of Bills would be published and made available to committees.
The Deputy should please resume his seat.
Members of the House have had no involvement in this matter. To suggest that the Minister for Education is consulting on the matter is farcical. We have not been consulted.
I will ask Deputy Martin one more time to resume his seat.
On the freedom of information legislation and the commitment to repeal the Official Secrets Act, how can the Government's commitment to openness be reconciled with the decision of the Department of Justice to censor and possibly not publish at all the recent report of the Mountjoy Prison Visiting Committee?
The Deputy should find another way of raising that matter.
It relates to promised legislation. The heads of a Bill have been published and laid before a committee, which criticised the fact that there were so many exemptions——
Is the Deputy asking a question about promised legislation?
Yes. When can we expect the legislation on freedom of information to come before the House?
The legislation is in the course of preparation and will be ready in the second half of the year. One of the responsibilities of Government is to protect the reputation of individuals from statements that may libel them. In any publication authorised by Government such a responsibility must be respected and must be balanced against other just public concerns. In making any such balanced judgment the Government naturally has to take the best advice available. It is necessary to balance, in a fair way, the rights of individuals to their reputation against the right of the public to know that the Government is taking this advice. It is important that Deputies appreciate the balancing of responsibilities that is necessary in any procedure of this kind.
The report was discussed on the airwaves.
In the light of the revelations today that the Madonna House report is to be published, will the Taoiseach arrange for a debate on the matter in this House or in a suitable committee of the House, as was done previously with another matter?
The appropriate procedure for processing that request is through the Whips.
Given that the British Government has been made fully aware, through the Secretary of State and the Home Secretary, of the condition of Patrick Kelly, has the Taoiseach received further information about the serious condition of that prisoner, which has been fully classified under the——
Deputy McDaid will surely find a proper way to raise that matter.
It is a serious matter.
I realise it is a serious matter which is worthy of being dealt with properly. The Deputy has had some latitude. I am calling Deputy Quill.
Will the Taoiseach say what progress is being made with the juvenile justice Bill and if it will be introduced before the summer recess?
I expect the legislation will be available during the summer.
The 1995 report of the Mountjoy Prison Visiting Committee is public property and there is an obligation on the Government to publish it. There is a cover up in this instance.
Deputy O'Donoghue should recollect that I answered that question comprehensively when posed by Deputy O'Donnell. The Deputy should be wary of using pejorative expressions.
In light of the crisis looming for the meat industry which does not have any place to dispose of offal, what contingency plan does the Government intend to put in place to rescue that industry and Irish farmers?
The Deputy should not tempt us.
It is not a relevant question. I call Deputy Ellis.
Irish agriculture is going down the tubes.
In view of the ongoing strike referred to by Deputy Kitt, and the 8,000 BT cards waiting to be completed in the office in Sligo, will the Minister tell us the action he is taking to have these cards issued and to deal with the ongoing problem caused by blood test reports not being processed?
That question is not relevant now.
This is a very serious issue.
Arising from the deliberations yesterday of the Joint Committee on Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies, does the Government have any proposals to review the regulations governing the appointment of chief executives and their remuneration packages?
I am moving on to the business of the House.