It is proposed to take No. 3, the Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill, 1998, Second Stage; No. 4, the Road Transport Bill, 1998, Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and Private Members' Business shall be No. 74, motion re Partnership for Peace, to be resumed directly after the Order of Business and to conclude after 90 minutes.
Order of Business.
There are no proposals to put to the House.
Will the Government make time available to discuss the designation of lands in Athlone for urban renewal status on the last day of the then Government by the then Minister for Finance, now the Taoiseach, and the then Minister for the Environment? This zoning had previously been rejected by Government and there is legitimate public concern to know the circumstances whereby the Government changed its decision.
No.
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
What about rezoning in north County Dublin?
There is need for clarification on this issue.
The Deputy has the option of putting down a motion.
The Minister wants to answer.
He knows all about it.
It was an extremely democratic local decision.
What about the rezoning in Finglas this week?
What about Westmeath VEC – is that democratic?
Does the Government intend to make a statement today in response to the murder of Éamon Collins in Newry and the escalation of paramilitary punishments and other mutilations, bearing in mind that the date for the establishment of the Executive is less than 40 days away?
Strictly speaking that does not arise on the Order of Business but the Minister may wish to comment.
There is a precedent for comments on this issue.
As the Deputy knows, meetings are being held with the Leaders of the various parties, beginning today and continuing over the weekend. On Saturday the Taoiseach will meet Mr. Trimble and others. In that context there will be an opportunity for all parties to ask questions of and talk to others. There is no proposal to make a statement about this matter.
I thank the Minister for her reply. I take it she is not referring to meetings with parties in this House?
No – as I understand it a series of meetings is continuing and these are held on a roll-over basis all the time.
With parties in the Assembly?
Yes.
What date in February will the Finance Bill be published?
I do not have the precise date but someone will get in touch with the Deputy about that matter. It will be in mid-February.
Will the Refugee Act, passed by the last Oireachtas, be brought fully into effect in advance of the introduction to this House of the Immigration Bill promised in the published list for this session?
The Bill which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform announced at the weekend, the heads of which have been cleared, will be the first Bill introduced to this House.
My question was whether the Act to give status to genuine refugees, which has not yet been put into effect, will be fully activated in advance of the Immigration Bill which is now promised.
The Bill which is now urgently needed will, we hope, be debated quickly.
It is a matter of opinion whether that Bill is needed. The Act should be implemented.
On promised legislation, when is it intended to introduce the Private Security Bill, which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform promised to publish in November 1998 and is No. 42 in the list of legislation for this year, published yesterday? Will the fodder scheme, which is to be announced next week by the Government, include areas outside those which were eligible for the fodder scheme before Christmas?
We cannot discuss the contents of the Bill.
It is not possible to indicate when that legislation will be introduced.
Another broken promise by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
We have raised many times the Bill to deal with fundraising for charitable and other purposes. We are told other priorities are being attended to in the Department. The Minister must be aware there is widespread public disquiet about what is happening in the charity business. Will she attend to this matter with a little greater urgency?
Work is in preparation on that matter but it is not possible yet to say when it will be ready.
It has been in preparation for ten years.
The report came out ten years ago. There have been 80 recommendations—
We cannot debate the matter now. I call Deputy Jim Higgins.
What is the Minister afraid of?
It is disgraceful.
(Mayo): When the Government published in September its list of promised legislation for between then and the end of the year, two Bills were regarded as priorities – the Data Protection (Amendment) Bill and the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill. Not alone do they not appear on the list of promised legislation for this term, they seem to have been relegated. What is the status of these Bills? Why have they suddenly been deprioritised?
In regard to the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill, since Christmas we have had a spate of gangland killings, with two cold blooded killings in Dublin in the past 48 hours. What is the Government doing about this? Are these being taken seriously? What legislation is proposed to stamp out the spate of gangland killings which is quite obviously in full flow in Dublin at present?
The stamped copy of the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill has been received. However, there is a High Court decision pending on the matter in February, which must be awaited. The publication date for the Data Protection (Amendment) Bill is early 1999.
Yesterday Deputy Howlin raised the matter of legislation on whether chairpersons of Oireachtas committees would be permitted to stand in the local elections. The Taoiseach told him the matter was being examined. When will Deputy Healy-Rae have finished his examination?
I wish to ask the Minister about legislation in the Department of Enterprise and Employment. Yesterday I saw her trying to strike up a normal conversation with the Tánaiste to no effect. Did she, by any chance, ask her why the legislation section of the Department has been shut down entirely? One miserable, three section Bill has been promised for the entire term, which is equivalent to the output for the 19 months to date. What is the explanation for that?
Did the Deputy ask about a particular Bill?
I asked about the legislation to permit Oireachtas chairpersons to stand in the local elections. Has Deputy Healy-Rae said what the Government's position will be?
There is a question on today's Order Paper about that matter.
It will be announced on Kerry Radio that it is going to be fixed.
Perhaps it will only apply to Objective One.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister is examining the issue.
When may we expect to see the Social Welfare Bill?
It has to be in operation by the end of March. It is expected next week. For the information of Deputy Deenihan, who has vanished, the publication date for the Finance Bill is 11 February.
Given that the local elections are to be held on 11 June, I am surprised the Local Government Reform Bill is not listed for publication in this session. Is it the Government's intention to have that Bill published and enacted before the local elections? When might it be published?
As was promised all of last year.
The Local Government Reform Bill is very large and complicated, with 150 heads. The expected publication date is mid 1999.
"Mid 1999" has a fairly wide trajectory. Will the Bill be published and enacted before the local elections? We have not had local elections for eight years. They were postponed to allow for local government reform.
We cannot debate the matter now. The Deputy must ask a question on the timing of the legislation.
Will we have the reform before the local government elections?
Does the Minister wish to comment on the timing of the legislation?
It has been confirmed to me that a Bill of 150 sections, which is to be published by the middle of the year, could not possibly be enacted—
Will it be before the local elections?
I could not see how a detailed Bill of that nature could be enacted before the local elections.
The Minister promised it would be – it is on the record of the House.
We cannot debate the matter on the Order of Business. I call Deputy Crawford.
When will a Bill be introduced to allow small farmers to get the assistance they were promised in the budget? When will that money be paid, because there is a great urgency about it at present?
I understand that will be talked about and enacted through the method of the upcoming Social Welfare Bill.
Will the Government consider making Government time available to debate the Tuskar Rock air tragedy? There was a number of significant developments during the recess. Question Time is—
The Deputy will have to raise that matter in another way – it is not in order to do so on the Order of Business.
Will the Whips discuss—
The Deputy should take it up with the Whips, given that it is not in order.
—having a comprehensive debate on the matter, given that it was the most serious air accident—
The Deputy should resume his seat as the question is not in order. I call Deputy Kenny.
Is it proposed to have the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill enacted? Is it proposed to hold those elections on the same date, 11 June, as the local and European elections?
Work began on the National Parks and Historic Properties Bill in 1987. It is not being proceeded with any further. Given that none of the national parks are covered by legislation except for half of Killarney national park, will the Minister ensure this Bill is put back on the conveyor belt?
It is proposed that the Údarás na Gaeltachta elections will be held on the same date as the European and local elections. Work is ongoing on the National Parks and Historic Properties Bill but it is not of immediate priority as of now.
We are reaching the end of the Order of Business and Members will have to be very brief.
(Dublin West): I was dismayed that I had to go to No. 34 of section D on the list of legislation to find news of the Bill to abolish ground rents. It comes under the heading of other priorities being attended to in the Department, which means, in the current circumstances, that it is probably an “also ran”. When will this legislation come before the House? Could the Government prioritise it? It is a long time since Michael Davitt started the work and it should be brought to a conclusion.
The Deputy must allow the Minister to reply.
It is not possible to indicate a date at this time.
Or ever.
When is it intended to introduce legislation to give effect to the UN convention on the protection of UN personnel serving abroad, given that it is now international law? Twenty two of the 43 states have signed it. Seventy five Irishmen have died while serving abroad. They are not covered by the convention in this country but they are in the other 22 countries.
It is under consideration. I understand the Taoiseach replied to the Deputy on that matter yesterday.
Could we have an indication as to when the legislation will be introduced? We have asked about this for some time. The lack of an indication is not good enough.
The Government programme contains a promise to provide for legal representation for rape victims. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said publicly that he will introduce it in limited circumstances. There is no indication of any such Bill on the list of promised legislation.
I am sure the Minister is as disturbed as I am at the lack of action in protecting rape victims. Does she intend to take the Bill in my name – it could be taken without delay – to ensure that a clear signal is sent to rape victims that the Government cares about them?
I am very disturbed. We appreciate the work the Deputy has put into her Bill. I heard her and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform debate the matter on the radio recently. I understand the Minister's proposals will reach Cabinet next week.
There are only three Bills from the Minister's Department included in the list of promised legislation. However, given what the dogs in the street appear to know about the future of the Great Southern Hotels, will legislation be required to privatise them?
The Minister would not do that.
The question is not in order. It does not deal with promised legislation.
Is legislation required?
That does not deal with promised legislation.
There are three Bills from my Department which will be taken between now and Easter. There is no promised legislation on the question raised by the Deputy regarding the Great Southern hotels.
Is legislation required?
That question does not arise. It is not relevant to the Order of Business. I call on Deputy Quinn for a final question. We must proceed with the business of the day.
I understand the sense of comfort among the members of the conditional coalition. On the question of promised legislation and having regard to what was said yesterday by the Taoiseach and the indications he gave me in his closing remarks in the debate, item No. 6 on the list refers to the local elections (disclosure of donations and election expenses) Bill, including grants of £50,000. Are the members of the Government saying here, in the absence of the Progressive Democrats members, that the Bill may be introduced in the middle of 1999, after the local elections? Have they learnt nothing?
The Deputy is referring to the wrong Bill.
The Deputy got his Bills wrong yesterday.
Have they learnt nothing?
The Deputy has asked his question. He should resume his seat. I call on the Minister to reply on the timing of the legislation.
That is another Bill. The Minister informs me it is expected to be introduced before the end of this session. The Deputy referred to the absent Progressive Democrats Members. It is well known why they are not in attendance.