Vol. 502 No. 2
It is proposed to take No. 32, Electricity Regulation, Bill, 1998, Second Stage (resumed) and No. 1, Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill, 1998[Seanad], Second Stage.
It is also proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that any division demanded today shall be postponed until immediately after the Order of Business on Tuesday, 23 March 1999.
There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with the postponement of any division today agreed to? Agreed.
On No. 32, will the Taoiseach say if the relevant Minister has any intention to intervene in an incipient and difficult industrial relations situation?
The Deputy should wait until the debate on the Bill. The matter can be raised in another way during the day. The Deputy will have other opportunities to raise the matter and I will give favourable consideration to any such request.
I accept that, but this could be a matter of great urgency in a short time.
The matter can be raised today but not on the Order of Business.
I understand that former Senator George Mitchell of Maine is to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour by his country in recognition of the work he has done in the peace process here. Will the Taoiseach convey – I am sure – on behalf of all the House and certainly on behalf of my party, our thanks and congratulations to Senator Mitchell on this signal honour?
I will be glad to do that. I hope to meet him but it has not been confirmed and I will certainly mention Deputy Bruton's remarks and pass on the best wishes of all Members of this House.
Anyone who knows George Mitchell will know that while he will appreciate the medal of freedom, the fact that a scholarship has been established and funded by the Oireachtas in his name is of more tangible substance and will be a source of satisfaction to him. Nevertheless, I join in what the Taoiseach has said.
In a document published at the commencement of the session it was promised to publish 16 Bills before the end of the Easter recess. I do not want to interfere with the travel arrangements for the next week, but I draw the Taoiseach's attention to the fact that the following Bills have not been published: the Broadcasting Bill, the Údurás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill, the School Attendance and Education Welfare Bill, the Companies (Amendment) Bill, the Equal Status Bill, the Illegal Emigrants Bill, the Mineral Developments Bill, the Human Rights Commission Bill, although the heads have been circulated, and the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Bill. In effect there are only three weeks remaining in the session. When will we see these Bills?
More than half of the Bills promised for this session have been published. I wish they were all published but a number will be published in the coming weeks. The ESB Infrastructure Bill will be published today. The Human Rights Commission Bill is before the two committees and others will be published in weeks.
On promised legislation, specifically the Water Services Bill, does the Taoiseach accept we have a serious problem with water pressure and supply in the city? Does he agree the legislation dealing with water services, which dates back to 1841 and 1867 is hopelessly inadequate in the context of a modern city? Will this Bill receive urgent attention?
It will receive urgent attention. Much of the legislation governing the operation of water services dates back to the 19th century. There are 15 Acts on the Statute Book which contain provisions on water services and it is a complex task to bring them together. The general scheme of the Bill will be submitted to Government before the end of this year and then will come before the Oireachtas.
In the context of the British-Irish Agreement Bill, due to time constraints last evening we had difficulties discussing the bodies to be established under the Bill. As there is a great deal of interacting legislation to be studied will the Taoiseach, after he has discussed the timeframe with the British Government, indicate the future progression of the legislation, the dead lines and so on as this would give us an opportunity to plan. There are concerns about the Commissioner of Irish Lights, as many questions need to be answered.
I will examine what the Deputy is saying. Much of this work had been done and each part had difficulties. The Irish Lights issue seemed small on the face of it, but took some weeks to resolve because of the British legislation. The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Gordon Brown, MP, has been directly involved because it comes under his responsibility.
Arising from the Minister for Public Enterprise's announcement of the transport plan, when will we see legislation to amend the Transport Act to allow CIE to borrow the additional money which the plan will require, since no other money has been provided? Since we do not have a crowded agenda today, could time be made available to discuss the critical issues arising from the picketing of all ESB power stations this morning, with the likelihood of power cuts?
I have already indicated that there are ways in which that matter could be raised today.
On the first matter, if legislation of that order is required it would have to be brought forward. You, a Cheann Comhairle, answered the second matter earlier.
The legislation is required because there is a limit on CIE's borrowings and it cannot borrow the amount the Minister has indicated will be needed. I take it such legislation is promised, when might we see it?
The Minister told the company to borrow but gave it no money.
Deputy Quinn gave the company no money.
When the organisation reaches its limit and legislation is required it will be brought forward. It is not required yet.
When will the House get an opportunity to—
—pass a vote of congratulations to the Minister for Agriculture and Food?
Let the Deputy be more magnanimous than his leader.
The car has not been towed away yet but it has been clamped. The Government should ask Irish farmers if they would like to receive 56p per pound for intervention beef.
The beef quotas are gone.
Has the Deputy a question on the Order of Business?
He is smiling.
When I asked about the National Parks and Historic Properties Bill some time ago, it was suggested there were constitutional difficulties. We are now told the Bill is not being proceeded with at present because of other priorities but I am not aware that the relevant section of the public service is working on other legislation. Has the Bill been dropped altogether or will the Taoiseach indicate what the other priorities are? They certainly do not include the preparation of legislation.
As the Deputy knows, that Department is working on a number of Bills and I hope they will be published shortly. I said yesterday that the National Parks and Historic Monuments Bill has been deferred because of other priorities, it has not been dropped. The heads of the Bill are being prepared in the Department and it is not expected to be published until the middle of the year, at the earliest.
In view of the fact that, in the past 12 months, house prices have risen by 29 per cent and rents for apartments and houses have risen by about 20 per cent in Dublin, will the Government arrange a debate on Dr. Bacon's second report on the housing crisis?
That is a matter for the Whips, not the Order of Business.
It was answered yesterday.
Deputy Bruton asked me if we could debate the report when the Dáil resumed and I think it is scheduled for the beginning of April.
Will we discuss public transport?
Yes.
We would all like to express our congratulations to the Taoiseach, the Minister for Agriculture and Food and his officials for their efforts in last night's negotiations to ensure there will be no great loss to Irish farmers. I hope we get the opportunity to explain to Deputy Connaughton and his colleagues the good job done by the Minister.
It is a matter for the Whips to arrange a debate.
Give that man a job, he is crying out for one.
If he lights the bonfires in Leitrim he will find out what the farmers think.
Is it the Government's intention that the promised legislation on the intimidation of witnesses will apply to witnesses appearing before tribunals of inquiry?
The content of legislation is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
What legislation, if any, is the Government preparing to deal with the housing crisis?
The Deputy will be aware that in the past week there has been the affordable housing initiative, the second Bacon report, the introduction of tax measures, the transport initiative, the improvement of railway safety and the voluntary housing initiative. All these initiatives tackle the crisis.
No money is being provided.
There are another 1,000 on the housing lists.
This year also the local authorities received the largest amount of money they had received since the foundation of the State.
Labour stood still and did nothing.
They voted against rezoning land for housing.
Typical Labour, speaking out of both sides of the mouth.
Order, please.
Is the Taoiseach telling the House that, after all the reports and acres of uncritical comment in the media, the Government is not preparing a single Bill to deal with any aspect of the housing crisis?
A PR exercise.
I remind Deputy Gilmore that it is not legislation which builds houses but action, and that is what this Government is taking.
The Taoiseach should tell that to people being gazumped. Legislation is needed.
The record will show this is the only Government to do anything.
The Minister's record is not great, he should not talk about records.
Legislation to establish cross-Border bodies has been passed by the House. In view of the number of Departments involved, as shown by the number of Ministers and Ministers of State who contributed to the debate over the past two days, will the Taoiseach consider giving co-ordin ating responsibility to a Minister or Minister of State to expedite this work?
That is not appropriate to the Order of Business, the Deputy could pursue that through parliamentary questions.
At least I have planted the idea in his head.
Originally we were told we could expect to see the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill before the end of this session. Given how things have been going, can we expect to see it before the end of the year?
It should be ready by Easter.
The Progressive Democrats seem to have left early for St. Patrick's Day. Is that why Members opposite are in such good form?
There is a single Bill in prospect from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I have previously drawn attention to the recent closure of that Department's legislative section. The Taoiseach informed me on a previous occasion that the Companies (Amendment) Bill, which deals with the phenomenon of Irish registered non-national companies, will be published in March. Will he confirm that the Bill will be published on schedule?
The Companies (Amendment) Bill is near finalisation and will hopefully be ready shortly. It is due to be published before Easter.
Has the Government given further consideration to the Abolition of Ground Rents Bill which remains on the list of legislation due for publication? Has the Bill been abandoned or has a date been set for finalising its preparation?
As stated previously, the constitutional difficulties surrounding the Bill have not been resolved.
