The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. 3, International Development Association (Amendment) Bill, 1999 – Second Stage (Resumed); No. 40, Patents (Amendment) Bill, 1999 – Second Stage (Resumed); No. 4, Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2000 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and No. 19, motion re the Joint Committee on European Affairs on EU Legislation: Transport – Proposals for Directives on Railway Infrastructure and on Combined Transport, to be taken not later than 3.50 p.m. and the order shall not resume thereafter. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the following arrangements shall apply in relation to No. 19: (i) the opening speech of the Chairperson of the Joint Committee on European Affairs, of the main spokespersons for the Government and the Labour Party, who shall be called upon in that order, and of each other Member called upon, shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; (ii) Members may share time; and (iii) the Chairperson of the Joint Committee on European Affairs shall be called upon to make a speech in reply, which shall not exceed ten minutes. Private Members' Business shall be No. 95 – motion re Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (Resumed), to conclude after 90 minutes.
Order of Business.
There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal to deal with No. 19 agreed to? Agreed.
In light of the wild divergences in driving test results, could the Government fast track the promised legislation regarding the standards of driver instruction, which I understand are not planned to be introduced for another two years? If such divergences in test results occurred in an educational examination, there would be widespread outcry.
There are higher IQs west of the River Shannon.
One must go to Sligo if one wants to pass.
The driving instructors and the driver testers are two separate issues, but the response of the Minister of State, Deputy Molloy, was to engage consultants to carry out a review of the organisation and delivery of the driver tester services with particular reference to the requirements to be responsive to and be flexible towards the growing number of people being tested. That review will include full consultation with service users, the staff and other interests. People will have a chance to give their views. The other matter, which is a separate issue, is ongoing.
The seventh item on the list of Bills expected to be published before the end of this session is the National Treasury Management Agency Bill to establish the State claims agency. Is that Bill with the parliamentary draftsman? When will it be published?
I hope the Bill will be published this month. It may drift into next month but it is scheduled for this month.
If the Aer Lingus IPO is to proceed later this year, the legislation would have to be published and enacted in this session. Does the Government intend to stick to that timetable or will it be like Aer Rianta where the issue was dropped when the heat was turned on the Minister?
We have the legislation.
The Bill will be published this session.
On the promised legislation which is to be agreed between different parties, will the Taoiseach include the Green Party in the consultation with the other parties on that matter? On the list of promised legislation, the date of publication of No. 65, the defamation Bill, which was raised yesterday, has not changed. It is still scheduled for the end of 2000. Will the Taoiseach give an explanation about the fundraising for charitable and other purposes Bill, which has been expected since 1980? The Bill was laid out in the Costello report. Why is that Bill being put back another year to 2001? Surely in the current climate it would be important to give priority to the area of fund raising for charitable and other purposes. Will the Taoiseach make that a priority rather than relegate it for another year's delay?
The heads of the defamation Bill, which is to amend the law of defamation drawing on the Law Reform Commission's report and the report of the Commission on the Newspaper Industry, are expected at Cabinet during the summer. I hope the Bill will be published in the autumn. The heads of the fundraising for charitable and other purposes Bill, which is on the law relating to the administration and regulation of charities along the lines of the Costello committee report, are not expected until the autumn. Therefore, it will be published next year. Work is proceeding on the heads as quickly as possible but there are other legislative priorities which are delaying it in that Department.
Twenty years is a long time.
When will the harbours (amendment) Bill be published to set up a single ports company for the Shannon Estuary?
The harbours (amendment) Bill to establish the single ports company will be published this session.
In relation to promised legislation, I understand the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is to sign a readmission agreement with Romania tomorrow. Does that require legislation and is such an agreement in negotiation with the Nigerian authorities?
On the first matter, I understand this issue does not require legislation; it is just an agreement. There is no legislation in relation to the other matter and I am sure the Deputy is aware that the Nigerian authorities take an entirely different view. Other than an agreement they have with the United Kingdom, they have no agreement with any other country.
Mr. Hayes
Following the failure of the Government to deal with the issue of house price inflation, will the Taoiseach confirm that he will speed up the introduction of the housing finance agency (amendment) Bill to give more spending power to local authorities and other public agen cies? Will he accept that a 22% increase in house prices in this city last year is a disgraceful position for a Government—
The Deputy should not proceed with a statement. On the question of legislation, Taoiseach.
A Bill is due to be published early next year.
Before Easter I raised with the Taoiseach the issue of his name and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea's, name being stolen for the Internet. I understand that the names of many Members of this House have now been taken over. Has the Taoiseach had a chance to consider legislation that might be introduced to protect Members' identities? We are dealing with the Patents (Amendment) Bill today and I ask the Taoiseach to look at that legislation to see if it might be appropriate to include this matter.
While this matter is being considered, there is no legislation to deal with it.
(Dublin West): The planning of crucial areas of Dublin has been manifestly damaged by the fact that within the planning authority there is corruption and bribery—
The Deputy should ask a question.
(Dublin West): A Cheann Comhairle, you must allow me to draw my breath before I can put the question.
I will allow the Deputy to ask a question. It is not in order to make a statement.
(Dublin West): It was by way of a prologue to my question.
There is no prologue on the Order of Business.
(Dublin West): Everyone else seems to get away with it so I do not know why I should not. Given that serious damage has been done to communities such as north Clondalkin as a result of corrupt planning, I ask the Taoiseach when will there be a Bill entitled “restitution to communities disadvantaged by planning corruption”?
There is no promised legislation. However, in view of what the Deputy said that he has evidence of planning corruption in his constituency, he should report this to the Flood Tribunal.
I call Deputy Theresa Ahearn. The Deputy must resume his seat.
The Taoiseach may not be aware of the issue I am about to raise because I am sure he has someone to make telephone calls on his behalf. Is he aware of the over-use of voicemail in Government Departments and agencies and how can this be solved?
Is the question about promised legislation?
I wish to know how this issue can be solved?
The Deputy should put down a parliamentary question.
Everyone is frustrated listening to voicemail. The personal touch is gone and this portrays a very poor image. This is an important issue.
The Deputy is out of order. She should put a precise question about the legislation.
On the promised administrative procedures legislation which the Government is introducing, will it ensure, as Deputy Ahearn has pointed out, that there is not abusive over-use of voicemail to ensure those who phone Government offices, whether citizens or public representatives, can speak to a real person rather than some anonymous voice?
The administrative procedures Bill will be included in the amendment to the Ombudsman legislation.