It is proposed to take No. 1, Local Government (Financial Provisions) Bill, 1997, amendment from the Seanad; No. 25, Electoral Bill, 1994, Report and Final Stages; and No. 2, Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Bill, 1997, Second Stage. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and business shall be interrupted not later than 12 midnight; No. 1 shall be decided without debate; the Report and Final Stages of No. 25 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 9.45 p.m. tonight 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 the Environment; and the Second Stage of No. 2 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.45 p.m. tonight. Private Members' business shall be No. 59, motion No. 23 concerning legal action brought by the late Mrs. Brigid McCole.
Order of Business.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
There are four matters to be put to the House. Is the late sitting agreed to? Agreed. Is it agreed that No. 1 shall be decided without debate? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with No. 25 agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with No. 2 agreed? Agreed.
There is probably no point in my asking about legislation for next week or the rest of the session. Is it the Taoiseach's intention to legislate before Thursday for the rights of Telecom Éireann employees to purchase 15 per cent of the shares in the company based on the commitments they negotiated and agreed to with management so that the company can be a strong, viable, competitive and efficient organisation? In all the years I have dealt with it, it has achieved great strength without losing working days. Will the Government introduce legislation to give them that right before the business of the House closes on Thursday?
The Government supports the view that Telecom Éireann employees and those of other State companies should be shareholders in the companies, should have the capacity to play a part in the working of the company and should share in its profits achieved as a result of their efforts. The Government is working in partnership with the management of the company and the trade unions representing employees with a view to achieving this with agreement, thus enhancing the commercial strength of the company and protecting employment within it.
Can I take it the Government is discussing with management the wishes of workers to receive a 15 per cent share in the company after the conclusion of negotiations rather than the 5 per cent indicated by the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications in dialogue and negotiation in recent days?
The Government wishes to comply fully with commitments it and others gave to employees on this matter. We are working with them to achieve an outcome satisfactory to all concerned which protects all interests. The purpose is to strengthen our national telecommunications company to ensure it can compete internationally and make commercial decisions in an effective way, thereby enhancing the job prospects and incomes of those it employs. It is also the purpose that the company should operate as a genuine partnership between management and employees and that everyone feels they own a share in it.
I recall the day not many months ago when this Government, without a Cabinet meeting, held a hurried meeting in the Taoiseach's office between the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the then Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Deputy Lowry, to decide to sell 20 per cent of the company for half its value, according to stockbrokers. However, there seems to be great difficulty in granting the workers who made the company a success the 15 per cent share for which they ask. They do not ask for it nothing. They are prepared to abide by all market conditions and provisions. I am very disappointed the Government, in the dying days of this Dáil, cannot give a straight answer to a straight question.
The matter is currently the subject of discussion between all concerned. Decisions on matters of this nature are never taken quickly or at one meeting but are the result of months of preparation. A decision of this complexity must be well prepared to ensure the ultimate result is one which benefits the company, thereby giving the best possible guarantee of high incomes and employment security to those in the company. We are working with all relevant interests in a spirit of partnership to achieve that objective.
That is not what happened when the 20 per cent share was sold. Reports at that time stated the reason Deputy Lowry was so anxious to release the news was that he was afraid the Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn, might release it before him.
Is the Taoiseach aware of a letter of 19 June from the former Minister, Deputy Lowry, to the Communications Workers Union committing the Government to selling in excess of 5 per cent of the company to Telecom Éireann workers? Where stands that commitment now? Do the Ministers for Social Welfare and Foreign Affairs, Deputies De Rossa and Spring, agree with the Taoiseach's decision not to sell these shares?
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
A certain latitude has obtained on this issue thus far and I will not allow it to be debated further on the Order of Business.
What a dreadful performance.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the letter of 19 June? Where stands that commitment now?
What about the Aer Lingus workers in Shannon?
We gave them £175 million.
They were sold down the river.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
Let us keep it orderly please. Deputy Burke without interruption from either side.
I acknowledge the Government has recognised the unfolding human tragedy in Iran. Will the Taoiseach discuss the matter with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State at that Department? The contribution through the Red Cross to the alleviation of the tragedy, which I acknowledge and praise, has been only £75,000. I suggest Irish people expect and would applaud a more generous response from the Government. Will the Taoiseach reconsider the level of the response? I assure him of the support of this side of the House in any increase. This is a human tragedy and we should not allow political or ideological reasons to come between the Irish people and a genuine and generous response.
I understand the requests of the Irish Red Cross have been fully complied with. I pay tribute to the high standard of professionalism of the Red Crescent operating in Iran. It is a sophisticated organisation with a highly developed capacity to deal with tragedies of this kind. The Government through the Irish Red Cross is more than willing to give any appropriate assistance to the Iranian Red Crescent in dealing with this dreadful tragedy. I assure the House that no obstacle of any kind will stand in the way of assistance that is relevant in this regard.
Thank you.
Would the Minister for Social Welfare care to apologise to listeners of Radio Ireland this morning when he said, having been asked by the interviewer about the election process, the issue of hepatitis C——
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
This is not the appropriate forum to raise this matter.
——should be discarded in favour of other more important issues.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
The Order of Business is not the appropriate time in which to raise this matter. Deputy Michael Martin was offering.
The mouse that roared.
The Deputy's party wants to tax contributory old age pensions.
It is the lesser of two evils.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
I am anxious to get on to the business proper.
They want to means test contributory old age pensions.
A Deputy
The Deputy wants to interrogate people who are unemployed.
Fianna Fáil is so desperate it is adopting our jokes now. This is progressive degradation of Fianna Fáil.
With all due respects Deputy Rabbitte may be interested in what I have to say——
It is most unlikely.
——because his performance in relation to this matter was contemptible. Yesterday, the company which controlled the Advanced Technology College and the future careers of 500 students went into liquidation. I ask the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, if they are proud the Government ignored those students throughout the saga, did absolutely nothing to help them in their plight——
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
The Deputy will have to raise the matter in another way. This is the Order of Business.
——and failed to bring in legislation to protect and bond private third level colleges so that students could complete their studies. This is abject failure on the part of the Government which has treated the students with contempt.
What does the Taoiseach intend to do regarding the implementation of the La Touche report on the Chief State Solicitor's office? This report was before the House. It now appears the outside world will not be contacted nor will it be able to communicate with the Chief State Solicitor's office from next Monday. Subsequent to that, lightning strikes are likely. This could throw the entire criminal and civil lists into considerable disarray. Will the Taoiseach intervene with a view to resolving the problem?
Ongoing negotiations are taking place in regard to this matter. The Government has given high priority to the improvement of the legal services of the State, providing additional resources to the Attorney General's office and to the courts. It is also important that additional resources be provided to the Chief State Solicitor's office because of the very important work it does on behalf of the State. The legal offices of the State have been neglected over the past 40 or 50 years. I am glad they are now being provided with the resources they need. I look forward to a successful conclusion to the discussions taking place in regard to the Chief State Solicitor's office. I admire the professionalism shown over the years in very difficult and trying conditions by the staff in that office.
With all due respect to the Taoiseach, will he accept it is highly likely there will be a threat of industrial action——
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
We cannot debate this matter now.
——in the Chief State Solicitor's office next Monday if it does not get the promised resources of which the Taoiseach spoke?
In regard to item No. 18 on today's Order Paper, has the Government made a decision to lift the cap on charitable lotteries or asked the Minister of Justice to do so?
If the Deputy recalls Question Time last week, the Minister for Finance indicated that intensive work is being done on that topic in regard to the position of other charities that have been disadvantaged somewhat by the establishment of the national lottery. It is significant that this problem was faced by all these charities for a number of years when parties other than those in office, held responsibility and nothing was done about it. I am pleased the Minister for Finance, unlike his predecessors, is dealing with this matter. I am confident a resolution will be found which will be satisfactory to the charities whose problems were neglected when the Deputy's party had an opportunity to do something about them. They will not be neglected now or henceforth.
Will it be before the election?