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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. - Partnership 2000.

John Bruton

Question:

1 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the central review committee for Partnership 2000 will take place. [24479/98]

The next meeting of the Partnership 2000 secretariat will take place on Wednesday, 16 December and the next plenary meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 26 January 1999.

Has progress been made in laying out the ground rules for a successor to Partnership 2000? Has any discussion taken place on the issue of pension cover? More than half the working population is not covered by private occupational pensions.

The Deputy is broadening the question enormously. The question relates to when the meeting will take place. A separate question would have been more in order.

I understand this issue of pension cover is being dealt with in this forum.

The Deputy should have tabled a separate question on that matter. The question relates strictly to when the next meeting will be held and nothing else. It is not in order to debate it.

This is the most strict ruling I have ever heard.

The Deputy could get around the matter very simply by tabling a separate question.

I will bear that in mind in future. I would like an answer to my question.

The Taoiseach may wish to make a brief comment, but he need not do so. This is not relevant and is a separate question.

He has made a mess of it anyway.

On the first part of Deputy Bruton's question, a pension initiative is being drafted. We hope to have a meeting with the Congress of Trade Unions immediately after the budget to start to talk about a successor to Agenda 2000, mainly on the public service pay element.

Would the Taoiseach care to comment on the suggestion by IBEC that the unofficial action yesterday——

The Deputy is broadening the question. I allowed him to ask questions and the Taoiseach answered ones which were strictly speaking outside the scope of this question which sought information on when the next meeting will be held.

Will this meeting discuss the comment made by IBEC yesterday to the effect that unofficial strikes represent the biggest threat to social partnership——

The Deputy should respect the Chair's rulings.

——and the biggest set back to trade union recognition?

I have ruled on the matter and we must proceed to Question No. 2. The Deputy should respect the Chair's rulings on this matter.

The Chair is making a restrictive ruling.

It is not a restrictive ruling; it is a correct one. The Deputy wants to widen the scope of the question.

It is an unprecedented ruling by the Ceann Comhairle.

I have ruled on the matter and ask the Deputy to let the Chair proceed to the next question.

I do not think any other parliament in the world——

The Deputy should not cast reflection on the rulings of the Chair. There are further important questions to be dealt with today and there is not too much time.

The Ceann Comhairle is very wrong on this matter; it is not fair and is not good for Parliament. I hope he will be equally pernickety with other questions.

The Deputy should desist. He has been given far too much latitude already.

I got no latitude.

I call on the Taoiseach to take Question No. 2.

It is outrageous.

Deputy Carey should not attack the Chair in that manner. The Chair has its rulings and must abide by Standing Orders. If the Deputy studies his standing orders——

It is outrageous.

The Ceann Comhairle has shown latitude to all other Deputies.

The Deputy is casting reflections on the Chair which are totally unwarranted and unworthy of him. I call on the Taoiseach to deal with Question No. 2.

I am casting reflection on the Chair.

In doing so, the Deputy casts more reflections on himself.

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