It is proposed to take No. 19b, motion on ministerial rota for parliamentary questions, No. 21, Child Trafficking and Pornography Bill, 1997, Order for Report and Report and Final Stages, No. 7, Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill, 1998, Committee and Remaining Stages, and No. 2, Criminal Justice (No. 2) Bill, 1997 [Seanad], Second Stage. It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 19b shall be decided without debate; Report and Final Stages of No. 21 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon, 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 Justice, Equality and Law Reform; the proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages of No. 7, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion at 1.30 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 for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal for dealing with No. 19b agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 21 agreed? Is the proposal for dealing with No. 7 agreed? Agreed.
Will the Taoiseach say whether the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will come into the House to reassure the country there will be full security cover in the event that the gardaí proceed to take the actions they have indicated they will take? What proposals has the Government to ensure full cover, given that sergeants and inspectors have indicated they will not provide cover similar to that provided on the day of the blue flu? This is a grave matter. What is the Government doing to ensure the gardaí come back to the talks table?
I accept, Sir, you are giving us some latitude in this respect.
A little.
Is the Taoiseach aware of the widespread concern expressed in the public domain about the Garda dispute? What contingency plans are being made by the Government to deal with this matter? While answering that question, which I hope will be full in its content, will the Taoiseach indicate what contingency steps are being taken to ensure the Tour de France commencement, which many people have worked hard to achieve, will not be disrupted?
Will the Taoiseach indicate when the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will shake off his lethargy on this issue? This problem is not new, it has been ongoing for some time. The action proposed by the gardaí has been signalled for many months, yet no action has been taken by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in seeking to bring the dispute to an end. I heard the Minister say on radio this morning that he is willing to consider the appointment of an independent arbitrator between himself and the Garda. Has he taken steps since that interview to approach the gardaí with a view to having an arbitrator appointed?
Like everybody else, the Government is concerned about an escalation of the dispute which has been ongoing for some time. In the event that there is an escalation of the dispute, the operational measures the Garda Commissioner will take will be discussed, as on the previous occasion, with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I hope we will not reach such a stage of disruption. In recent months the Government set up the Brennan committee and negotiated successfully until, unfortunately, the talks broke down because the gardaí and the GRA left them. The Government would like to be able to continue those negotiations because we believe they are the basis for making progress.
The only way to resolve an industrial dispute is through negotiation to determine the areas on which there can be compromise. In this case, there can be compromise on some areas but not on others. The Government cannot breach the public service agreement, which the gardaí would like us to do. That would open up claims for the public service and ruin the consensus that has been reached and the prospect of having future agreements. That avenue is not open to us, but the Minister has been at pains to outline to the gardaí, at every level, including at conferences, sending messages to them and by way of statements in the House and in the media, that there are other avenues through which the dispute can be resolved.
I thank the Deputies for raising this matter and I urge the gardaí to go back to the negotiating table where we can try to resolve the dispute either through the Brennan committee or some other way. The Government is prepared to discuss the matter. We have no reason to have a disagreement with the gardaí. We want to find a reasonable and equitable resolution to the dispute and we will continue to do everything possible to achieve that.
We cannot have a debate on the matter. I will allow short questions from the three leaders.
The Taoiseach did not refer to my request to him to tell the House the arrangements that will be put in place if the gardaí proceed to carry out their actions. Action is threatened for next Saturday. What discussions are taking place regarding the security of the State. We are likely to face—
The Deputy is making a long statement. She should obey the Chair.
Criminals will know gardaí are not on duty and we could have a free for all starting next Saturday.
Does the Taoiseach agree that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is hopelessly compromised on this matter because of the outrageous pre-election undertakings and promises he made to the gardaí, that he must now sideline this compromised Minister and give that responsibility to somebody else? That is part of the problem in Government.
Deputy Quinn is engaging in political mischief.
Deputy Cowen is hoist with his own petard.
Deputy Quinn is playing games.
The chickens have come home to roost.
Order, please. Deputy De Rossa for a brief question.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform would be better off with the Army deafness issue. That would be up his alley.
It is obvious that whatever the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has done has been ineffective. Does the Taoiseach agree it is time he stepped in to resolve this problem and, if the Minister has not appointed an independent arbitrator to resolve the dispute, will the Taoiseach do so today?
I addressed Deputy Owen's question, but I will do so again. Those are operational matters. The Garda Commissioner has been talking to the regional superintendents on this matter and, as before, the Minister will be consulted. While there is no need to repeat what I have already stated, the Brennan group is carrying out its work, but the Minister has made it clear if that is not an acceptable way to deal with the problem, he is prepared to consider another way. I do not know of any dispute that was resolved without the people concerned sitting down together to negotiate. Mr. Brennan is well qualified to deal with this issue, but if that group is not satisfactory, some other way can be found. It is only by sitting down together that the matter will be resolved. The Government and the Garda group must sit down together to discuss the matter and the Government is prepared to do that. This is what we have been requesting.
Will the Taoiseach meet them?
It is a matter for the Government.
At what stage is the Bill to encourage the multiple use of masts? In December last the Taoiseach indicated the legislation would be published by the middle of this year. I assume the Minister for the Environment and Local Government is preparing the legislation. He has issued a document from his Department with confusing information about the multiple use of masts. Where is the legislation that was promised on 4 December?
Deputy Howlin issued those guidelines when he was in Government and Deputy Owen was also in Government at the time.
The Minister for Public Enterprise is dealing with the legislation on sharing masts and it will be ready in November.
So it has slipped.
The House will rise on 3 July, but will sit in committee in July and September. Will the Minster, in consultation with the Whips, prepare a schedule of the committee meetings that will take place during July and September so that Deputies can plan their work and the media can plan its coverage of the important work of committees during those months?
That is a valid request. The House will rise on 3 July, but a large amount of work will be undertaken during July and September. I will ask the Government Whip to schedule the workload for the completion of Estimates and other Bills that will be taken during that time.
What legislative measures are required for the implementation of the Amsterdam Treaty passed by the people a few weeks ago? Will the Taoiseach take the opportunity at the summit in Cardiff this weekend to persuade our partners in the European Union to ensure voluntary organisations, who work with the homeless and the poor, are not deprived of European funding, as announced yesterday by the Finnish Commissioner for budgets.
The Second Stage of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill was taken in the Seanad last week. That must be passed before we formally ratify the Amsterdam Treaty. I have not got any details on the second issue the Deputy raised, but I will examine the matter.
A case was taken by Britain against Commissioner Flynn's action in making money available.
We cannot debate the matter now.
This is an important matter.
If that is the case, it should be dealt with in the correct way.
Money for voluntary organisations has been stopped by the Commission. These organisations will have to close down their operations if this funding is not made available. I urge the Minister to raise the matter at the summit this weekend to ensure the funding is made available to those organisations.
I am not aware of the issue, but I will check the details and consult the Deputy.
The Minister for Defence has been threatening the Defence Forces with cut-backs, but the basic legislation to allow for the restructuring of the Defence Forces, which was due on 1 January, is not yet in place. What is the delay in bringing forward the legislation? When will the Price Waterhouse report on the future of the Air Corps and the Navy be published? There is serious discontent within those forces about the delay in publishing that report.
Only the Deputy's first question is relevant.
There is no question of threats to economies affecting recruitment or equipment; I do not know where the Deputy got that idea. The Defence (Amendment) Bill is before the Government at present.
Article 3A of Directive 9736 of the EC deals with continued access for viewers to coverage of free to air television of events of major cultural importance and must be transposed into law. On 5 February the Minister indicated that this Bill would be published before the broadcasting Bill. Is that still the case and, if so, when will it be introduced? In November 1997 the Minister said she would be in a position to publish the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill before mid-1998. In December 1997 she said she hoped to publish it by March. It is now almost mid-1998. Will the Taoiseach give me an idea when the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill will be published?
A number of appeals are pending in regard to special areas of conservation designation and the Minister said she hoped to be in a position to notify the EU of these resolutions by April 1998. Last week she announced the establishment of an appeals board and local liaison committees and said they were in the process of being formed. When will we be in a position to notify the European Union of the appeal resolutions in respect of SAC designations? I ask this because Deputy Donal Carey and I are bursting with enthusiasm for legislation from An tAire Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gaeltachta agus Oileán into which we can get our teeth.
I hope the Deputy has a better chance of seeing legislation from this Minister than the last one in that Department.
The Taoiseach is lucky he is not here.
There will be a lot of questions as Gaeilge for that one.
The same questions have been asked for years. As I told Deputy Quinn last week, the broadcasting Bill and the television coverage of major sporting events Bill will, I hope, be published together in the autumn. The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill will be published during the summer recess. If I understand the Deputy's question, the other matter does not require legislation.
Does the Government contemplate legislation to put the scheme for the insurance ombudsman on a statutory basis? Does the Taoiseach intend to take any action on the matter or does he stand four square behind the Minister responsible who says everything is hunky dory?
Deputy Rabbitte got a good editorial out of it.
The Minister of State comprehensively answered that in recent days and I have nothing to add.
Two months ago the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform told us he would introduce legislation to license the security industry. The Taoiseach informed us it would be introduced quickly. In view of the amount of air coverage the problem of doormen is getting, when will the Bill be introduced?
As I said recently, a detailed examination of the matter is under way and has not been completed. If it requires legislation, we will have a date for it. The examination is not complete and I will ask the Minister involved to inform the Deputy when it will be complete.
The Taoiseach informed us that legislation would be introduced.
The Deputy may raise the matter in another way.
I am not sure if an industry Bill has been promised, but it would be appropriate for the House to acknowledge the retirement of Kieran McGowan who, as leader of the IDA, provided great leadership of that organisation. He has been very dedicated in his service and has inspired confidence in the many companies which have invested here. I hope his retirement is successful and prosperous.
The Industrial Development (Enterprise Ireland) Bill, 1998, is before the House and I am sure it will be taken next week when Members will have the opportunity to speak. Kieran McGowan will be with us until November. Everyone in this House, in business and in employment will appreciate his huge contribution for over nine years.
I would like to put a brief matter on the record of the House. A Ceann Comhairle, during the recent debates on political contributions to Ray Burke, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and I told you and Members of the House that Deputy Dermot Ahern's reports of his meetings with Mr. Murphy had been forwarded to the tribunal. That is indeed the case now but it transpired that it was not accurate when I stated it. The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, had sent the statements to our lawyers on 20 April and 22 May to forward them to the tribunal. The party lawyers had, however, sought a discovery order from the tribunal in order to afford protection to the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern. This caused some delay and the statement was not finally forwarded to the tribunal until Monday last.
I would like to be associated with the tributes to Kieran McGowan. His contribution has been immense and he has made a considerable patriotic contribution to the welfare of the country.