The Order of Business today shall be: No. 21, motion re membership of committees; No. 22, motion re referral to select committee of double taxation relief orders in respect of the Republic of Bulgaria and the People's Republic of China; No. 42, the Aviation Regulation Bill, 2000 [Seanad] – Second Stage, resumed; and Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta Bill, 2000 – Second Stage, resumed. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 21 and 22 shall be taken without debate. Private Members' Business shall be No. 103, motion re Sheedy case.
Order of Business.
There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. 21 and 22 agreed? Agreed.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the proposed debate on a report commissioned by the former Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Cowen, on vaccine damage to children. I understand the Government is proposing that this should be debated in the House on Thursday next for one hour. Does the Taoiseach not agree that this arrangement is entirely unsatisfactory? The report in question is very important and it will not be published until tomorrow. How is it proposed that people should give proper consideration to this matter in the time available? Furthermore, does the Taoiseach agree that the Government should table a motion on this matter indicating how it proposes to deal with the subject matter rather than merely inviting statements?
I understand it is the Minister's intention to lay before the House on Thursday next copies of the report on the three clinical trials involving babies and children in institutional settings in the 1960 to 1961 period and two later periods. He will then announce the arrangements he intends to make. I understand that because of the importance of the report there should be a debate in the House. I do not know if Deputy Bruton is suggesting that in addition to Thursday afternoon's debate there should be further deliberations on the matter. Perhaps the Whips can reach agreement in that regard. The spokespersons are to speak on the report first and if there is an argument about extending the debate perhaps it could be discussed by the Whips on Thursday.
Does the Taoiseach not agree that it is entirely unsatisfactory that the House is being asked to debate a report this week which Members have not yet been allowed to see but which has been leaked, apparently selectively, to a Sunday newspaper? This is a serious matter. It is a scandal if children were damaged by official agencies. We need to debate this matter properly, we need to see the report in good time, we want more than an hour to debate it and we want the Minister to table a motion indicating what he proposes to do about it.
I have already indicated what I am going to do about it.
Spokespersons will receive the report tomorrow. If necessary, the Minister will brief them on it. He proposes to set out in his statement how he intends to have the report and its implications examined. It is his intention to do so in the House. I would have thought that this would be welcomed by it.
This will be the Taoiseach's fourth Christmas as Taoiseach. Sadly, it will also be the fourth Christmas that the capital city will be confronted with a public and private transport crisis. In the light of the reality that in the evening time in Dublin public transport is non-existent and the fear of many people – women for their own safety and parents for the safety of their children – what measures, if any, will the Government bring forward by way of emergency legislation to provide for late night public transport services on the one hand and a resolution of the taxi fiasco on the other, brought about by Fianna Fáil since its enthralment by the taxi lobby since the start of the Government?
Nonsense.
Has legislation been promised?
No legislation has been promised. A late night bus service will operate again this year and from more locations.
What about taxis?
The arrangements have to be finalised, but a service will operate until 4 a.m. A DART service will also operate again this year. Some industrial relations issues remain to be resolved. The courts have reported on the efforts of the Government to provide an extra 3,000 taxis. The intention was that these would be on the road by Christmas. The Government is dealing with the results of the legal action, which people had a right to take. The findings and orders were issued last Tuesday.
May I take it from the Taoiseach's reply that this Christmas will be no different from last year, that there will be no change?
We cannot debate the matter now.
That is some Christmas present.
Not one extra taxi.
On the important matter raised by Deputy Bruton, I will find it very difficult to participate in a debate without some motion—
We cannot debate the matter now. It does not arise on today's Order of Business.
There is a motion—
The Deputy is out of order.
Respect for the Chair.
How do you know that I am out of order?
This is about the Order of Business.
There is a motion on the Order Paper and it is in order to refer to it. I will find it very difficult to participate in a debate without a motion being tabled. I have grave reservations, which I have expressed to the Minister, about referring the matter to the Lefoy commission. It was anticipated that it would be referred to the Joint Committee on Health and Children. I would like the motion in my name on the Order Paper to be taken unless the Minister is prepared to table a motion of his own. We may have to vote on the matter on Thursday.
On 16 June 1999 the whistleblowers Bill introduced by the Labour Party passed Second Stage. When is it likely to be progressed or is the information that it is to become an element of the Government's Dáil reform package accurate? Is this matter included in the Dáil reform proposals? Will this require legislation or are they merely proposals that will be put to the House? When is it proposed to put them before it?
The Bill in question is a Private Members' Bill awaiting Committee Stage. I do not have further information, but I will obtain it for the Deputy.
It was reported in the weekend newspapers that it has been included in the Dáil reform proposals. Are these reports accurate?
We cannot debate the matter now.
It is being considered as part of the package of measures for Dáil reform.
So it might be there.
I will give the Deputy a note.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach about two Bills which have been commented upon in the media recently and in which the Tánaiste seems to have a renewed interest. When will the work permit Bill, which comes within the remit of the Tánaiste, be published and will the issues raised by her be taken into consideration in the immigration and residence Bill? When will it be published?
The work permit Bill is not expected until the new year.
No urgency.
The other Bill will be published in the spring.
Tá dhá Bhille i gceist agam, an Bille um Sheirbhísí Uisce atá mar uimhir 48 ar an liosta. In light of the large number of misconnections with storm waters entering sewerage systems following the serious flooding, will the Taoiseach give the legislation greater priority by bringing it forward before 2002, given the large public health risks associated with the problem?
Tá Bille na Gaeilge ag teacht le fada an lá. Cá bhfuil sé faoi láthair?
The heads of the water services Bill, which will consolidate and update water services legislation, are not expected until early next year. The Bill will then have to be drafted. It was originally listed for 2002. Bille na Gaeilge will be published in the spring.
It was the summer last week.
In the summer.
The Taoiseach promised that a security industry licensing Bill would be introduced in the second half of the year, but we still have not seen it. Will the Taoiseach allow a situation to develop over Christmas where the thugs around the night clubs in Dublin will do what they have done for the past four years and continue to beat up young people?
The Bill, as promised, is to be published before Christmas. I have no up-to-date information.
Will the Taoiseach find out if it will be published? No one is doing anything about the matter.
The Bill will be published.
On 5 October I asked the Taoiseach a question on the Order of Business relating to the High Court judgment in the Sinnott case to give rights to autistic children. The Taoiseach said in response, "The case is over and the judgment is made." In the light of this statement, why is the case being appealed to the Supreme Court? Is it true that costs and damages are being withheld pending the outcome of the appeal?
A disgrace.
Mr. Justice Barr has varied the original provisions relating to Jamie Sinnott. Under the order £43,000 will be paid in November this year and next year and £21,500 not later than May 2002 to cover the delivery of services over a two and a half year period. Arrangements have been made to make these payments. All other payments will be made.
Including costs.
I assume so. The case is being appealed on a point of law, but this will not affect in any way any of the payments to Jamie Sinnott or his family.
What is the nature of the appeal, about which many of us are very concerned? What is the point of law about which the Taoiseach is talking?
The Deputy should table a parliamentary question on the matter. It is not appropriate to the Order of Business. He has been given much latitude.
On 5 October the Taoiseach said, "The case is over and the judgment is made." We cannot table a parliamentary question, the Ceann Comhairle's office will not allow it as the matter is before the courts.
The Deputy will have to find another way of raising it. It is not appropriate to the Order of Business. He has been given much latitude.
What is the point of law?
The Deputy should table a question.
If it is out of order for a parliamentary question, it is out of order for the Order of Business.
The negotiations and discussions pertaining to the sale of the Whitegate oil refinery are at an advanced stage. Has the Government decided if legislation is required to supervise the sale of the assets and liabilities of the Irish National Petroleum Corporation Limited?
Discussions are ongoing but the matter has not been resolved. It should be shortly and perhaps the Deputy would submit a parliamentary question.
I am sorry the Minister for the Environment and Local Government is not in the House. Last Wednesday he released to the media the national climate change strategy. By midday on Thursday copies of the document had not been circulated to Members of the House, nor had a copy been placed in the Oireachtas Library. It is not listed on the Order Paper as being one of the documents laid before the House.
This is not the first time the Minister has treated the House with discourtesy. Will the Taoiseach indicate when the document will be laid before the House? What arrangements will be made to enable the House to debate it?
The second question is a matter for the Whips.
I will make inquiries. I understood the documents were circulated and that Members would have them today. The Minister is not present because he is attending an EU Council of Ministers meetings in Brussels.
Was the Taoiseach one of the Ministers who voted against the £74 million special social welfare compensation package which was proposed to the Cabinet for its approval by the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs?
That does not arise on the Order of Business. Do you have a question appropriate to the Order of Business?
Does the Taoiseach approve of Ministers—
That does not arise on the Order of Business. We are moving to No. 21.