The Order of Business shall be as follows: No. 17b, motion re referral to select committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income and Capital Gains) (Republic of Slovenia) Order, 2002 and Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income and Capital Gains) (Republic of Croatia) Order, 2002; No. 17c, motion re appointment of Members to committees; No. 5, Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill, 2002 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; No. 4, Private Security Services Bill, 2001 – Second Stage (resumed); and No. 6, Licensing of Indoor Events Bill, 2001 – Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 17b and 17c shall be decided without debate.
Order of Business.
There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with items 17b and 17c without debate agreed? Agreed.
I fail to understand how a motion proposed under Standing Order 31, which deals with the possibility of war, is not permitted. How does the Government intend to bring before the House the basis upon which Ireland will vote at the UN Security Council meeting tomorrow on a resolution already agreed between the United States and Britain which may well result in a war in Iraq? As war is a matter for the Dáil—
That matter is not in order this morning.
War is a matter for the Dáil to discuss.
It was the last item discussed on the Adjournment last night.
There is an agreed motion between the United States and Britain.
It is not in order now. The Standing Order is specific and
if I—
Circumstances have changed.
Ireland is sitting on the UN Security Council—
If I were to allow Deputy Kenny to go outside Standing Orders, I would be obliged to let everybody else go outside them.
The Security Council will vote tomorrow and Ireland will vote on this tomorrow.
I call Deputy Rabbitte.
There could well be a war in Iraq after tomorrow.
There were opportunities to raise this matter during the week.
Ireland's representative will vote tomorrow on a motion that is agreed between the United States and Britain.
The Deputy's colleague, Deputy Gay Mitchell, raised this on the Adjournment last night. I call Deputy Rabbitte.
It comes before the entire Security Council tomorrow and I am asking the Minister for Agriculture and Food—
Deputy Kenny, you are out of order. There are other ways the Deputy can raise the matter. I call Deputy Rabbitte.
Ireland will vote on this tomorrow.
You have made your point, Deputy Kenny.
I do not seem to have done it sufficiently clearly.
There were opportunities to do so during leaders questions over the past two days, within Standing Orders.
On what basis will Ireland vote tomorrow?
I am calling Deputy Rabbitte. I ask Deputy Kenny to resume his seat when the Chair is on its feet, please.
On a point of order—
I am not taking a point of order until I have heard from Deputy Rabbitte.
The former Minister for Public Enterprise, Senator Mary O'Rourke, announced the abolition of CIE and the creation of three operating companies. It was announced again at the mini-CTC inquiry. The current Minister has announced it twice within the past week. One cannot get across this city because of traffic congestion, yet the Minister continues to issue press releases.
Do you have a question on the Order of Business?
I do, Sir, on promised legislation. The Transport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill provides for an increase in the borrowing limits for CIE in 2004. If the Minister is to abolish CIE next week why does he need to increase the borrowing limits in two years' time? He will presumably sneak in fare increases at a time when we need to be encouraging people to use public transport more, rather than increasing fares.
It is not appropriate to discuss the contents of the Bill.
If the Minister's spin doctors stayed at home there would be less congestion on the streets.
Legislation on this matter will be introduced in the next session.
Topically, the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill will be seen in the light of the proposed attack on Iraq. Will the Government take into account the financing of terrorism through international arms sales totalling $18.6 billion, much of which is coming from US companies?
I have ruled Deputy Kenny out of order on this matter. Has Deputy Sargent a question on legislation?
Will the Minister take into consideration the need in the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill to deal with the arms industry?
As I have ruled, the contents of a Bill cannot be discussed. I call the Minister on the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill.
It will be published this session.
I note that the special report by the Ombudsman on redress for taxpayers appears on today's Order Paper. When does the Government intend to announce the actions it will take to ensure that taxpayers receive proper redress, as the Ombudsman has requested? Is it not the case that the Minister for Finance has known about this dispute for a considerable time and has had plenty of opportunity to formulate a well thought-out position?
As the Deputy's question relates to a matter that appears on the Order Paper today, it will be allowed.
The Minister for Finance is currently examining this matter and will be considering the results of the examination in the context of the Finance Bill.
In view of the continuing protests by IFI workers over their claim for increased redundancy payments, will the promised legis lation on redundancy payments be introduced soon?
Is legislation promised?
In 2003.
What year?
Next year.
Before the Order of Business is agreed, I seek clarification concerning the role of the Tánaiste in the House under the new Standing Orders. I understand that when the Taoiseach—
That is not appropriate. The Deputy is out of order. I call on Deputy Crawford who I am sure has a matter appropriate to the Order of Business.
Why will the Tánaiste not answer questions?
Are there proposals to introduce changes to the Local Government Bill with regard to the dual mandate issue?
The Deputy has raised this matter twice this week already.
When will the Local Government Bill come before the House to allow us to discuss the 20% social housing element and the two-year limit on planning permission? Those matters need to be changed as a matter of urgency.
The contents of a Bill cannot be discussed on the Order of Business.
The dual mandate is being discussed everywhere outside the House.
Not in here.
Legislation is not promised.
We heard the Taoiseach say that yesterday. The Minister was not listening.
It has been promised on RTE and in the newspapers that we will have secondary legislation to restrict smoking in restaurants and pubs. The only place we have not heard any detail about it is here in our national Parliament. When will this secondary legislation be introduced and will the Minister guarantee that there will be a debate on it? This legislation will have a major impact, so it is important to have a full debate. The Minister should not think he can slip the legislation through the House without a proper debate just because he has gone public on the issue elsewhere.
We do not need a Second Stage speech on the matter.
The regulations governing smoking in extended areas will be introduced by statutory instrument. It is a matter for the Whips to decide when a debate can take place on the matter.
In the light of serious shortcomings that have been identified by the Equality Authority in current employment legislation regarding protection against the exploitation of immigrant workers, is it proposed to amend the Employment Equality Act to extend protection to those workers?
Is such legislation promised?
Yes, legislation will be introduced in 2003, early in the next session.
The Taoiseach appears to be on a FÁS scheme, working one day on and one day off in this House. Will legislation be introduced to allow postmen to open people's private mail in their own houses?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
Will legislation be introduced for that?
It is a good question.
As the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is sitting beside the Minister, Deputy Walsh, perhaps he will communicate with him on it.
Deputy Ring was always a man of letters.
I am calling Deputy Gilmore.
The Minister was a man of democracy, but now he is a dictator.
The backbenchers taught him a lesson yesterday.
Once Deputy Gilmore has been called by the Chair he is entitled to be allowed to make his contribution, if it is appropriate to the Order of Business, of course.
The Housing (Private Rented Sector) Bill is promised for early 2003. I understand that the Bill was given to the parliamentary counsel at the beginning of this year. What is delaying its publication?
The heads of the Bill were approved earlier this year and the parliamentary counsel is still working on it. It is comprehensive legislation and it will be introduced early in the next session.
When I raised the matter of the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill some time ago, the Taoiseach was his usual evasive self, so I would like to ask another question.
Do you have a question on the legislation?
Yes, although I presume I will not be able to ask whether qualified teaching staff can be brought within the terms of the Bill because we cannot discuss the contents of legislation.
The content of the Bill is not appropriate now.
That is right. I cannot do that so, specifically, I would like to ask if the Minister can provide a detailed timeframe as to when the Bill will come before the House? Will it be in late November, early December or after Christmas?
It will be published in this session.
Christmas week?
Now that the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party has had its say regarding the dual mandate, what are the Government's plans for the dual mandate?
That has already been dealt with every day this week.
Talk to Deputy Ring.
In the ongoing context of revelations about child sexual abuse, one of the most heartfelt concerns of all victims is that this should never happen to any child in the future.
Do you have a question appropriate to the Order of Business?
Yes. There is a Bill on the list of promised legislation called the Register of Persons who are Considered Unsafe to Work with Children Bill and the list states the publication of the Bill is expected in 2003 – it is within the ambit of the Department of Education and Science. Would it be possible to bring that legislation forward in view of the obvious concern on the issue?
Yes, this will be brought forward in 2003.
In view of the wholesale abuse of work permits by meat factories and recruitment companies and the direct sacking of Irish workers who are replaced by foreign workers, will the Government bring forward the Employment Permits Bill urgently before the House?
Is legislation promised?
Yes, the heads of the Bill have been approved and the legislation will be introduced next year.
Tens of thousands of consumers and parents have lost their money in a project called Winter Wonderland. Will the contemplated companies legislation provide any redress to them? I am sure the Minister will agree that in the wake of the budget we will all need access to a wonderland for a while.
When will the companies legislation come before the House? Is any legislation promised?
Yes, the Companies Bill in 2003.
When can we expect to see the Veterinary Medicines Bill? Before the summer recess I asked on the Order of Business if we could have from the Government a list of legislation that was passed but not implemented, and there is a great deal of it. When the Minister is on his feet, he might tell me when, if ever, the National Beef Assurance Scheme Bill, which was passed in 1999, will be implemented?
When will the ship to Egypt sail?
A Deputy
It is long gone.
The heads of the Veterinary Medicines Bill have been approved. The Bill is being drafted and we intend to introduce it next term. The National Beef Assurance Act is being currently processed and in the process of implementation.
On today's Order Paper, there is the formal tabling of the Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment which the House agreed the other day. Is it the Government's intention that this will be the only such Supplementary Estimate? Does the Government have plans to meet the expected redundancy costs of the workers in the IFI plants in Marino Point and in Arklow? Does it have plans to cover the additional shortfall costs in terms of environmental costs where there is not even a standard fire crew available at Marino Point as of now?
It is not appropriate to discuss the content of Supplementary Estimates. Is there any promised legislation?
There is no promised legislation in this area.
In the light of the Tánaiste's statement on "Morning Ireland" this morning that we should endeavour to encourage top-class scientists to return to Ireland, when can we expect the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill to set up Science Foundation Ireland as a separate legal entity?
The heads have been approved and it will be introduced this term.
When will the Residential Institutions Redress Board begin its hearings? It was promised, under the Residential Institutions Redress Bill, that hearings would begin in December. There are literally people dying while waiting for this redress board to start.
The question of when the hearings are to start is not appropriate to the Order of Business.
There was a promise.
It would be more appropriate to a parliamentary question. I would also point out that the matter was debated here on the Adjournment yesterday.