It is proposed to take No. 4a, Youth Work Bill, 1997 — Committee and Remaining Stages — and No. 28, Statements on the Report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Committee and Remaining Stages of No. 41a shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 1 p.m. today 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 of State at the Department of Education. The following arrangements shall apply in relation to No. 28: 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 two matters to put before the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 41a satisfactory and agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 28 agreed? Agreed.
I am sure you, a Cheann Comhairle, and the Taoiseach, the leader of a centre left Government, will join with me in sending traditional May Day greetings to the workers and trade unionists of this country. My party and I have the honour of having given workers the May Day bank holiday. I am sure that in the true terms of James Connolly you will be proud to send those greetings to workers.
Thank you very much. May Day is an important holiday. It is also an important religious feast. It is a day that celebrates the work people have done to make a better life for themselves. We should convey to all who work in whatever capacity, by hand or head, our good wishes.
It is, indeed, lá Bealtaine, a great pagan feast day in Irish history. I am unclear——
Very appropriate.
Living under the shadow of Newgrange, occasionally the Taoiseach mixes up his eras. As the niece of a famous trade unionist — as the Tánaiste will be aware — may I also send greetings to the workers of Ireland today? Also may I send greetings to the vast ranks of the unemployed, many of whom live in my constituency, and sound a note of hope in the day that is in it?
Will the Taoiseach arrange for the Minister for Finance to take the opportunity at Question Time, in reply to questions tabled by Deputy McCreevy, to state clearly and unambiguously the Government's exchange rate policy? It is not good enough to say it is a matter for the Central Bank. The Government sets exchange rate policy and the Central Bank administers it on a day to day basis. Obviously statements have been made. The Minister for Finance says he has been misinterpreted but he should not allow the day go by without clearly stating the exchange rate policy.
There are questions on the Order Paper concerning the matter.
The exchange rate policy is governed by our membership of the European exchange rate mechanism. That is the guiding principle for our exchange rate policy. Obviously the Minister for Finance will be happy to deal with that matter at Question Time.
Order, please. There are questions tabled on the subject for answer by the Minister for Finance today. The Chair is concerned to ensure that Members who went to the trouble of tabling Priority Questions in the matter shall not be upstaged.
Arising out of the turmoil in the currency market, can the Taoiseach rule out an increase in mortgage increase rates? Is he concerned about the upward pressure on inflation arising out of the weakness of the punt?
Who has been talking to the Deputy?
Did the Deputy hear me correctly? I ask the Deputy to have regard to the Order Paper and desist forthwith.
Will you give the Taoiseach an opportunity to comment? It is a very serious issue.
The Deputy missed the boat.
The Deputy is embarrassing her colleagues.
I raised the matter of the proliferation of alcohol pop drinks with the Taoiseach some time ago. He seemed to agree with my concerns. I said this issue required legislation or new regulations from the Government. He will be aware there has been a sinister development over the past few days with the sale of alcoholic milk drinks which are clearly aimed at teenagers. It is an unacceptable breach of trust by the drinks industry. Will he consider introducing legislation or regulations to deal with preventing the sale of these drinks before it becomes a serious problem?
The Deputy should have dealt with the matter in a different way.
It is an urgent matter and that is why I raise it. I have no other way of raising it with the Taoiseach.
There are many other more appropriate ways of dealing with it.
I want a response from the Taoiseach. He responded when I raised this on a previous occasion and this is a new development.
I do not wish to be drawn into a discussion of such an area without more detailed study of it. Alcohol is sold in many forms and it is important that people should know what they are buying. The matter could be dealt with under the consumer information legislation which already allows for making orders to display certain information on products where it is considered that more prominent information ought to be given about their ingredients. The provision of information to consumers so that they are made aware is the course to follow in this matter. The concept of a ban would raise much wider policy considerations and one would have to refer to other forms of alcohol which involve blending milk products, some of which are world famous Irish products.
Will the Taoiseach make his views known to the Director of Consumer Affairs as a matter of urgency?
I have made my views known here today. I presume the relevant authorities will take note of them. However, I will ensure they are communicated to them.
In view of the healthy economic reports and the fact that the Celtic Tiger is rambling over the country, will the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Social Welfare get together and put some of the poorer people back on the Celtic Tiger and restore the butter vouchers which they have taken from them?
I suggest the Deputy tables a question on that matter.
It is a shame. The Taoiseach has an opportunity to introduce legislation to restore butter vouchers to those people. Why is he running away from it? The contrast must be embarrassing.
Does the Deputy remember the dirty dozen? Were they embarrassing?
They were dirty for the Deputy.
The Deputy's comments trivialise the problem of poverty. The Government has published a comprehensive national anti-poverty strategy which will involve the activity of every Government Department in dealing in a systematic way with targeted reductions in long-term unemployment and poverty.
Let the meek pay.
I outlined in great detail yesterday that I will chair the Cabinet subcommittee which will discuss Government action to reduce systematically the level of poverty and social exclusion in our society.
Is taking away butter a new Labour Party policy?
It requires a much broader approach than that being adopted by the Deputy where he trivialises the issue.
The Taoiseach should put the butter back on the table. He should start with basics.
Who took the dirty dozen off the table?
Why are those on the Left so silent when they are supposedly concerned about the poor?
The Deputy knows this is disorderly. I call Deputy Quill.
The Prompt Payments Bill is on the agenda for next week.
The Deputy should speak up for the working classes.
Why is it necessary to introduce legislation to require Government Departments to do the honourable and decent thing and pay their bills promptly and fully? Could the Taoiseach not issue a directive to each Department to do so? Why is scarce Dáil time being fouled up by putting legislation of this nature through the House when it could be done by order of the Taoiseach?
Could the Deputy not wait for the measure to come into the House?
That is very good advice.
He merely photocopied Deputy O'Rourke's Bill. The disease is spreading.
I would prefer to see the Broadcasting Bill.
I questioned the Taoiseach about the hepatitis C legislation and putting the compensation tribunal on a statutory basis. He told me on Tuesday that the heads of the Bill would be issued within 48 hours. That deadline expires in a few hours. Will they be published today or has the matter not been discussed, even though there have been three Cabinet meetings this week? If they are published, will the 15 per cent compensation for aggravated damages be included?
The heads will be issued this evening.
What about the 15 per cent compensation? We will wait.
All the heads must not be on board yet.
Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister for the Environment to invoke his powers under section 1 (1) (i) of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1993, to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from giving a licence to Monsanto for genetically engineered sugar beet until there has been a full debate in the House? Will he provide time next week for a debate?
Is legislation promised in this area?
No legislation is promised. If the Deputy wishes to table a parliamentary question, he can do so.
It has been ruled out of order.
If he wishes to have a debate on the subject, he can convey such a request through his party Whip and it will be considered.
It will be too late. The Environmental Protection Agency is about to make a decision on this and there was no debate here. Will the Taoiseach give us an opportunity to have a debate as a matter of urgency?
It should be recognised that an independent Environmental Protection Agency was set up and we invested confidence in its capacity to make judgments.
Have we no say?
If every time a difficult decision has to be made by an independent body, there is a requirement to have a debate in the House, it would perniciously undermine the independence of bodies established by Statute by requiring them to make their decisions on the basis of political rather than environmental considerations. While I stated that if the Deputy made a request for a debate next week it will be considered, he should also reflect on the requirement of ensuring there is not ongoing parliamentary interference in the work of independent bodies.
On a point of order——
I have allowed the Deputy to put questions to which he has received replies. We cannot debate the matter now. If it is a legitimate point of order, I will hear it.
The Environmental Protection Agency Act was passed and it included section 1 (1) (i) which allows for the Minister to "interfere" in important decisions of the Environmental Protection Agency. This is a fundamental decision which will have far-reaching consequences for agriculture and people's health.
The Deputy has been advised as to how he should proceed. It has been suggested the matter might be discussed appropriately by the Whips. That is as much as I can do for the Deputy now.
Next week's business has already been fixed.
And the following week's.
The Deputy has been advised as to how he should proceed.
We have had enough health disasters. We do not want another one.
I welcome the Labour Court's recommendation in the paramedics dispute. With reference to the prompt payments Bill, when does the Taoiseach intend to pay nurses their pay rise granted some months ago?
The Deputy is not very well informed. I understand some of the lump sums were paid last week and payments are proceeding. I suggest the Deputy should contact his usual sources.
That is not correct.
That is what I am advised.
It is estimated that approximately 1,000 children per year do not make the transition from primary level to second level education. Given that there have been a number of recent court cases involving young children on the streets, when will the school attendance Bill, which will deal with young children who are not in a position to participate in the education system for a variety of reasons such as social disadvantage, be published?
I expect it will be ready in July.
When I raised the issue of the non-nationals Bill about three weeks ago the Taoiseach informed me that it would not be taken this session. As a result one of the oldest textile firms in the country will go to the wall shortly with the loss of several hundred jobs in this city because of an argument within the offices of the Attorney General and the Minister for Justice——
Where else?
——over the way the case of a non-citizen who wishes to invest in the firm in question should be dealt with. The person concerned was included on the old list. It is very unfair — on May Day — that several hundred workers will lose their jobs because of a lack of activity in dealing with legislation. I am aware of the complexities involved but it is unfair that the firm in question should go to the wall as a result.
It is the considered view that this matter must be dealt with on the basis of legislation. If, in a competitive market, a company has access to resources to which a competitor does not have access, there is a risk of challenge. To ensure, therefore, the scheme is not open to challenge and to being undermined it must be placed on a statutory footing. That is the reason legislation is being introduced and will be published before the summer recess.
I know nothing about the investor but I understand they have been seeking for several years to invest in an Irish company and have been cleared by the IDA, Forfás and other State agencies. I agree the scheme should be placed on a statutory basis but the Taoiseach and his officials, the Attorney General in particular, should devise an interim measure to save several hundred jobs in a competitive industry. That is what I am concerned about.
We are having repetition.
Several hundred jobs are at risk.
I appreciate that fully but the Taoiseach has replied.
Each day new jobs are announced. Some interim measure should be devised to save these valuable jobs.
Having taken careful advice, with a view to not undermining existing investments and to ensuring that all future investments are on a proper, durable and defendable footing, it is necessary to introduce legislation first. I do not think anybody who is seriously concerned about this matter would suggest it is possible to proceed on a basis that is not durable and statutorily founded.
The question of Cabinet confidentiality has been raised on a number of occasions in recent weeks. Although the legislation was cleared by the Government a number of weeks ago, it has not yet been published. Normally legislation is published immediately once it is cleared by Government. If the Bill is passed within the next two weeks, when will the referendum be held?
The Bill will be published tomorrow.
When will the referendum be held?
When the Bill is enacted.
The Taoiseach cannot make up his mind.
On the issue of policing, I draw the Taoiseach's attention to the grave concern expressed by members of the general public and the business community that Garda superintendents and inspectors are informing them that insufficient staff and personnel are available to adequately police their communities. In the dying days of this failed Administration, will the Taoiseach agree that it has failed to meet its commitments in the programme, A Government of Renewal?
The Minister of State, Deputy Durkan, may laugh, but this is a serious matter, particularly when a knife or a gun is held to one's head and one cannot obtain the assistance one requires.
The Deputy is availing of the opportunity to make a very good speech.
Garda superintendents and inspectors have said they do not have sufficient personnel.
That speech must be adequate for the time being.
In relation to the commitments——
The Deputy should, please, resume his seat.