It is proposed to take No. 1 — report of Committee of Selection: No. 12 — Health (Amendment) Bill, 1995, Report and Final Stages; and No. 13 — statements on the beef industry. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 1 shall be decided without debate; the proceedings on the Report and Final Stages of No. 12, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.30 a.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Health; the proceedings on No. 13, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 4.45 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply: the opening statement of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for the Fianna Fáil Party and the Progressive Democrats Party shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case; the statement of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case; Members may share time; and a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 15 minutes.
Order of Business.
There are three questions to put to the House. Is it agreed that No. 1, report of Committee of Selection, be decided without debate? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with No. 12, Health (Amendment) Bill, 1995, Report and Final Stages, satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with No. 13, statements on the beef industry, satisfactory and agreed? Agreed.
I assume the Taoiseach will have a meeting with President Santer in the next number of weeks. If so, will he tell the House if a date has been fixed for that meeting and if he has any plans to try to de-escalate the serious crisis now emerging between the United Kingdom and our European partners? As the incoming Presidency I am sure the Taoiseach wants to de-escalate that row.
That matter is not strictly relevant but the Taoiseach may wish to intervene.
I have plans for a meeting with President Santer in early June. Obviously we are looking forward to the meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers which may make a contribution in the near future to resolving the problem. It is, of course, a continuing concern that any member state should be in the position to block business indiscriminately. That is not conducive to pursuing the best interests of all concerned. It is important to note that the European Union provides many benefits to all member states. For example, it is providing financial assistance to Britain to deal with the consequences of BSE.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. It is important that we debate the BSE issue today, but we hope that the argument between the European Union and the UK does not move into other areas that will affect the Irish Presidency. I wish the Taoiseach well in trying to de-escalate that argument.
The Lassen group has proposed a reduction of 40 per cent in the total allowable catch across the Union. This would decimate the Irish fishing industry. Does the Taoiseach propose to take action to put forward the Irish case? The 40 per cent reduction in quota would cause more damage here than in any other country. How does the Taoiseach propose to deal with the matter?
The Deputy is well aware of the matters that can be raised at this time. I would prefer if that matter were dealt with in a more appropriate manner.
President Santer will have a number of meetings in Dublin tomorrow and I will meet him again in early June. Obviously we will also meet him at the commencement of the Presidency. Those matters can be dealt with during those meetings, but this is not the place or time to deal with the detail of EU policy.
Will be the Taoiseach arrange to have the Forfás document, Shaping our Future, a Strategy for Enterprise in Ireland in the 21st Century, debated in the House before the recess with a view to having its key recommendations implemented in the lifetime of this Government so that we will not always be one report away from action?
I want to help the Deputy but this is not the appropriate time to raise that matter.
Congratulations, Deputy Quill.
Ask the Minister, Deputy Bruton, about it.
I wish to ask about two items of promised legislation. While I am aware the Taoiseach replied yesterday on the Children Bill, will he be more specific as to when it will be introduced? Also, will he state when the much awaited greyhound industry legislation will be published?
I answered questions about the Children Bill yesterday. Does the Deputy wish me to repeat what I said then?
Will the Taoiseach be more specific?
It will be introduced in the second half of this year.
That is not more specific. It is the same answer.
We will give consideration to Deputy Quill's request, but it should be conveyed through the Party Whips.
Does the second half of the year mean July or September?
What about the Greyhound Industry (Amendment) Bill?
That Bill is at very early stages of preparation and I cannot give a date as to when it will be introduced.
As we have a very distinguished visitor from the British Labour Party in the House, I welcome back the members of the Irish Labour Party who have been missing for the past few days.
Deputy O'Dea is also welcome back.
Back from Limerick.
The Deputy was preparing for Opposition, even when he was in Government.
In light of the revelations in today's newspapers about the activities of a charitable fund-raising organisation which retained more than 60 per cent of the funds collected——
Does the Deputy wish to raise a matter apper-training to legislation? He may not advert now to something else.
——will the Taoiseach agree to expedite legislation to deal with fund-raising for charitable purposes so that we can put an end to this type of racketeering which is taking place on a consistent basis?
The Deputy should be careful about casting aspersions, under privilege of the House, on outside organisations. I do not know the facts of this matter——
They are in today's newspapers.
——but Members should exercise care before using provocative and possibly untrue terms to describe the activities of people outside the House. Members may not be sued for what they say here because of the privilege of the House.
The Taoiseach is suffering from amnesia.
As to the germane matter in the Deputy's question a Bill dealing with fund-raising for charitable and other purposes is being prepared by the Government to implement the recommendations of the Costello committee on fund-raising and we hope to have that available late this year.
Is the Taoiseach concerned about the serious position in Aer Lingus which faces a complete shut down probably within a few weeks? When will the air navigation Bill come before the House? Is the concerned about the shut down of Aer Lingus?
That matter was the subject of debate in the House last evening.
I asked about a particular Bill. Is the Taoiseach concerned about the shut down of Aer Lingus?
The Chair allowed that matter to be discussed on the Adjournment of the House last evening.
I am aware of that, but the reply was unsatisfactory.
I understand the Bill to which the Deputy refers will be presented early next year.
What about the thousands of workers in Aer Lingus? Is the Taoiseach not concerned about them?
We are presiding over the best performing economy in the OECD.
We played a part in that.
The Government appears to care only about the economy. It should tell the workers in Aer Lingus What it thinks about them.
Did the Taoiseach congratulate the management and directors of Knock Airport on their 10th anniversary? Perhaps he should include an apology from him and his governmental colleagues for the negative attitude they adopted to that project some years ago.
We will ask Our Lady to pray for them.
The Deputy must find another way to deal with that matter.
Is the Government prepared to take action to support the large Fruit of the Loom company which employs more than 3,000 people in Donegal where workers are on short-time for the second time in a year?
The Deputy has many ways of raising that matter.
It is an important matter.
It is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
I am merely making the Government aware of a very important industry in Donegal that is under severe pressure.
The Deputy may not do so now.
At what stage of preparation is the Central Bank Bill which is important for the preparations for economic and monetary union? When can we expect to see that Bill before the House?
Later this year.
Does the Government plan to introduce legislation or controls to curb the activities of owners of puppy dog farms? Unspeakable cruelty is being caused to dogs on such farms and the rage syndrome is spreading to dogs that are being exported to other countries. I raised this matter in the House on a previous occasion.
Is there legislation promised in this area?
It could be dealt with under the amendment to the greyhound industry Bill.
There is no legislation in the current programme of the Dáil to deal with that matter but in view of the Deputy's comments and public concern in relation to it I will have inquiries made to ascertain if legislative changes would assist. Obviously existing legislation places obligations on people to avoid cruelty to animals. That legislation and the responsibilities under it should be properly adhered to by all those who take animals into their care.
Will the Taoiseach give the House a guarantee that the Brady Shipman & Martin report on the Burren will be debated before the summer recess?
That matter should be raised in another way.
I tried to do so, but the Government Chief Whip will not give us an opportunity to debate it.
Sorry, Deputy de Valera, this is not the time to debate the matter.
I seek your guidance, a Cheann Comhairle, on how I may raise the matter.
My office is at the Deputy's disposal in that regard.
Will the Minister give a guarantee that he will insist on the Government Chief Whip ensuring that this matter is on the agenda?
I am not the Whip.
Will the Minister take up the matter with the Whip?
This is quite disorderly.
The Deputy's timing is much better this time.
Will the Minister insist that the matter is put on the agenda? Perhaps he has difficulty with the Fine Gael Whip and, if so, will he clarify that difficulty?
Deputy de Valera has engaged in sufficient disorder. She should please resume her seat.
Perhaps you will give me guidance on this matter later.
It is not guidance the Deputy needs but direction.
In view of the Taoiseach's statements in the House, is it his intention to introduce legislation to resolve the conflict in his own mind and between himself and his partners in Government on the role of the Attorney General as a constitutional officer in keeping the Government informed and his role in terms of the 1987 Act? The Taoiseach does not seem to understand the difference between these two roles.
Deputy Keaveney rose.
The Deputy has long since made her maiden speech in this House.
On yesterday's Order of Business a new policy was introduced by the Taoiseach about which I would like clarification. If this policy is to apply during the summer will Deputies in rural areas receive a further allowance for their telephone bills or will we get 1800 lines?
I think the Deputy would regard that as part of her normal duties.