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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 1997

Vol. 483 No. 6

Order of Business.

It is proposed to take No. 5, motion re Membership of Joint Houses Services Committee; No. 6, motion re leave to introduce Supplementary Estimate [Vote 3] and subject to the agreement of No. 6 to take Supplementary Estimate [Vote 3]; No. 7, motion re Regional Fisheries Boards (Postponement of Elections) Order, 1997; and No. 8, motion re Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.

It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that (1) Nos. 5 and 6 shall be decided without debate and any division demanded on No. 6 shall be taken forthwith; (2) subject to the agreement of No. 6 the following arrangements shall apply in relation to Supplementary Estimate [Vote 3]: (i) the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion today after one hour and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith; (ii) the statement of the Taoiseach and the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party and of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 10 minutes in each case; (iii) Members may share time; (iv) the Taoiseach shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; (3) the proceedings on No. 7, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion today after 90 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the opening statement of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; (ii) the statement of each other Member called upon shall not exceed 10 minutes in each case; (iii) Members may share time; and (iv) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 5 minutes; (4) the proceedings on No. 8, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 8.30 p.m. tonight and the following arrangements shall apply: the opening statement of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for the Fine Gael Party and the Labour Party and of each other Member shall not exceed 10 minutes in each case; (ii) Members may share time; and (iii) a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 5 minutes; (5) there will be no Private Members' Business this week.

There are five proposals before the House. Are the proposals for dealing with Nos. 5 and 6 agreed? Agreed. Are the arrangements for taking Supplementary Estimates [Vote 3] agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with No. 7 agreed? Agreed. Are the proposals for dealing with No. 8 agreed? Is it agreed there will be no Private Members' Business this evening? Agreed.

On 12 November, the Taoiseach indicated he expected to table amendments to the Electoral Act before Christmas. There is still no sign of them. Is the Taoiseach bringing forward these amendments? Is he aware that as of 1 January 1998, in the absence of any amendments, the third Part of the Electoral Acts automatically comes into place?

I raised this question last week.

I cannot understand the Taoiseach's reluctance to tell us either that the Government is not amending this Act or that it is and the Act is ready. Ministers continue to refer to it outside this House. Where are the amendments to this Act?

The Deputy is referring to electoral funding — we are not doing it.

The Act will have to be repealed.

Will the Taoiseach confirm that on 1 January 1998, the sections of the Act not in place will automatically come into place and the Act needs to be amended? It is not a case of the Minister not doing anything about it. Amendments will have to be brought forward. Otherwise, those sections of the Act automatically come into force on 1 January 1998.

If they are not amended, they come into place. That is what I said will happen.

The Taoiseach did not say he was not amending it. He said he was not doing it.

This is another U-turn.

No party in this House wants a U-turn on this issue.

Deputy Owen said people outside the House said they would bring forward amendments. I said in the House I would give a decision before Christmas. I gave a decision before Christmas. I did not change my mind — I gave an answer.

The Taoiseach said he hoped legislation would be ready in December.

Please Deputy Owen, you have had your question.

But there is not going to be legislation.

It is an S-bend.

The Taoiseach has changed his mind.

In view of the fact that almost two months ago the House passed a motion deciding upon an urgent inquiry into planning matters in the Dublin area, may I ask the Taoiseach when the warrant setting up this tribunal will be made and when the legal teams will be appointed so the tribunal can carry out its work?

That matter is not strictly for the Order of Business.

It is related to the question of legislation.

It is more appropriate to a parliamentary question.

I appreciate the niceties, but the fact is that two months after this House approved the proposal for an urgent inquiry into planning we are still waiting for it.

I do not intend to listen to argument, Deputy. I have made a ruling. The Deputy should resume his seat when the Chair is on his feet. It is a matter for a parliamentary question, not the Order of Business.

In accordance with convention and the tradition of this House on the Order of Business, will the Taoiseach indicate what the time-table will be for the talks in Northern Ireland having regard to the decision that, I understand, was made today at the plenary session that a new special fast-track group representing party leaders has been established? It is the intention of that group to make more rapid progress than would otherwise have been the case in the full plenary session.

The Minister, Deputy Andrews, has been sidelined.

The Deputy is correct. Today's decision of the plenary session was enormously helpful. Two members from each party will form a sub-group which will identify the key issues from all the work they have done since 24 September. They will also address how they will deal with the format and arrangements for dealing with each of those issues. I know the members would like to conclude that by the week beginning 15 December, but it would be unfair to put a deadline on it. That is their plan. It would mean that by the Christmas period we would have, hopefully, the list of items which require attention and the means by which they would hope to move each of those issues forward in the session after Christmas.

I do not wish to enter into debate now but will the Taoiseach give a commitment that, subject to satisfactory progress being made between now and the Christmas recess, he will make time available for a debate on the Northern Ireland question?

We can keep that under review. If they have reached a position where we have a document by the time we are breaking up at Christmas, I certainly would. If not, l would rather keep it under review.

The current reorganisation of the Defence Forces needs to be underpinned by new Defence Bills which were promised for this term. When is the new Defence legislation likely to be introduced?

It is hoped that the Defence (Amendment) Bill will be ready in the spring.

Will the Taoiseach make time available to discuss the Kyoto Summit? It is one of the most important environmental summits concerning global warming, the biggest threat facing humanity. It would be remiss of us not to discuss it.

The Whips have discussed this matter. I understand they hope to allocate time for a debate on it before Christmas when the conference has concluded.

Last week at the instigation of the leader of Fine Gael, the Taoiseach agreed that a motion would be tabled in the House, signed by all party leaders, sending out a strong message concerning our abhorrence of racist comments and any racist attitudes both inside and outside the House. Has the Taoiseach done any work on that motion? When will it appear?

The Taoiseach can ask Deputy Callely for his opinion.

It has not been drafted yet, but we will arrange to have it drafted.

I welcome the Government's decision on the Electoral Act.

That matter is not appropriate to the Order of Business.

Has the Government considered its position on the Local Government Funding Act? Will the Government repeal that Act or will it change its mind?

The Local Government Funding Act will be ready directly after Christmas. We hope to publish it early in the new year.

The Government promised legislation in response to the EU directive on electricity liberalisation. I understand the Government must give proposals on transition arrangements to the European Commission by February. When is it proposed to publish this legislation?

That is the ESB Bill, which will be published late in 1998.

When does the Taoiseach expect the Attachment of Earnings Bill to be published?

That legislation is at a very early stage of preparation and will not be published for some time.

Will it be published in 1998?

Possibly, but if so it will be late in 1998.

(Carlow-Kilkenny): Has there been a change in legislation that allows the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Deputy Molloy, to overrule a previous decision granting permission for 16 houses in Carlow——

That is not appropriate to the Order of Business. It would be more appropriate as a parliamentary question.

(Carlow-Kilkenny): It is appropriate for the people of Carlow.

Arising out of the Taoiseach's response to Deputy Owen's question, will he consider giving Government time for No. 26 on the Order Paper? It is a motion on refugees tabled by the Labour Party, and may resolve his dilemma in the matter.

It is a matter for the Whips.

It is not a matter for the Whips. It is a matter for the House.

I assumed this item was intended to be a Private Members' motion.

If the Deputy does not want this dealt with as a Private Members' motion, I will ask the Government Whip to consider it along with the other business he must deal with.

On a point of clarification, my question related to the implementation of a motion adopted by the House on planning matters in the Dublin area. The Chair has today allowed four important questions to which the Taoiseach replied but which did not relate directly to legislation. The Taoiseach should inform the House when the warrant for the implementation of the planning tribunal will be issued and when the legal teams will be appointed so that the tribunal can do its work.

Subject to correction, I understand the order is signed, as are the warrants. Mr. Justice Flood is in position and the legal teams are being put in place, so I do not know what the delay is. The preliminary processes were completed some weeks ago.

Can the Taoiseach inform the House before the end of the week when the tribunal will begin?

I will communicate with the Deputy.

(Mayo): In the light of three tragic murders in Limerick, Galway and Dublin within the past 48 hours, when will the Criminal Justice Bill be taken in the House?

That Bill is in the Seanad.

On a previous occasion the Taoiseach indicated a decision would be taken before Christmas in relation to the date for the holding of local elections. Has that decision been taken? If it is decided to postpone the local elections when will the necessary legislation be introduced?

I mentioned earlier that the legislation in regard to the funding issues will be ready early in the new year. Originally the Minister intended that it would be all contained in the one Bill but I will check with him.

Will the Broadcasting Bill, which we expect will be published in February, include proposals for handling the indexation of the licence fee? I understand from a reply to a parliamentary question that the agreement for the indexation of the licence fee has been arbitrarily ended. I am speaking about the licence fee of the national television broadcaster. Earlier, we discussed whether digitalisation would be included in the broadcasting legislation since indexation has been abandoned. May I take it there will be provision for the future of the licence fee in the legislation?

It is not appropriate to ask what will be in the legislation.

A Deputy

It is appropriate.

It is not appropriate to discuss what is in the legislation on the Order of Business.

It never was appropriate. The answer to the Deputy's question is no. The Bill will be available in February.

That is encouraging.

(Mayo): Is the Taoiseach correct in saying the Criminal Justice Bill is in the Seanad. My understanding is that it is a Dáil Bill and that it is coming here first.

I understand it is ordered for the Seanad, though it may not come before it next week.

The Taoiseach has spoken about a Green Paper, possibly with a view to introducing legislation or a referendum to deal with the issues arising out of the C case. Is it his intention to publish the research commissioned by the Government on the thousands of women who are travelling to England? It would be useful if he did so. The research by Trinity College on those travelling to England was initiated by the previous Government. This information would be useful and should be in the public arena.

The working group is being set up in the next few days. I will ask the group to consider whether that is appropriate.

As the National Youth Council is having a meeting next weekend what progress has been made on the Youth Workers (Amendment) Bill and when will it be published?

The heads of that Bill are due to come before the Government early in 1998.

Will the Taoiseach consider introducing legislation for the regulation of the accountancy profession in view of the continuing difficulties experienced by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in policing rogue members and in view of the revelations of recent tribunals?

Is that promised legislation? That concludes the Order of Business for today.

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