The Order of Business today shall be as follows: No. 14, Health (Amendment) Bill 2004 — Second Stage (resumed); No 1, Maritime Security Bill 2004 [Seanad] — Second Stage; Private Members’ Business shall be No. 36, motion re Management of Public Funds.
Order of Business.
There are no proposals to put to the House.
On the Order of Business, will the Tánaiste say if the Government still supports the Hanly Bill? Will she explain what is 24-hour coverage in accident and emergency units in view of the comments made by the Minister for Communications, Marine and National Resources, Deputy Ahern, arising from a situation in County Louth——
The second question is for the Minister for Health and Children.
The Hanly report is central to the Government's overall health reform programme.
If that is central to the Government's proposal, will she explain what full-time accident and emergency coverage is in that context?
That question does not arise on the Order of Business. I suggest the Deputy submits a question to the Minister for Health and Children.
That is why 10,000 people marched in Ennis and 7,000 marched in Nenagh.
The Deputy knows the position on Standing Orders. He has plenty of opportunity to submit a question to the Minister for Health and Children.
If the Hanly report is central to the health programme and this is——
The Deputy will please allow Deputy Rabbitte to speak.
If the Hanly report is still central to Government policy I would not like to be in close range of the Minister for Defence, wherever he is listening to the Tánaiste saying that. I can only imagine the colourful contempt——
If Deputy Rabbitte has a question appropriate to the Order of Business, the House will hear it.
I have. Will the Tánaiste say whether the Government, during the Irish Presidency, intends to take steps to cause an independent international inquiry to be put in place in respect of the gross shocking violations of human rights evident on our screens from Iraq?
It certainly does not arise in the context of proposed legislation. However, as the Taoiseach said in answer to earlier questions, every decent-minded person who has observed what has been happening, is horrified and disgusted. The Irish Government has obviously used its position of influence during the Presidency to promote, in so far as it can, an alternative approach. I do not want to commit myself as to whether we can have an independent group. I know that will be dealt with later this evening. Deputy Michael D. Higgins raised that matter. We have not given consideration to it, but I believe we should have an open mind on whether something like that could be brought to bear to bring an end to this situation. Certainly I would be open on that.
That is why we have the Presidency——
Deputy Rabbitte will please allow Deputy Sargent to speak.
Perhaps on the same topic, but as regards promised legislation which arises, the International Criminal Court Bill 2003, on which we passed a referendum, does the Tánaiste believe, given the evidence internationally coming from Iraq, that we need to put some urgency into that matter, given that it is many months since the people wanted it passed? Is that not the Government's responsibility on promised legislation? Second, I would like to ask about the amount of money being talked about for coastal protection. The Sunday Tribune gave a figure of €150 million for Dublin City Council alone. Will the Tánaiste say whether the Government is intent on burying its head in the sand — in the floods, indeed — on this matter, when it has stood down the coastal zone management Bill.
That question does not arise on the Order of Business.
It certainly does.
The first question is in order.
Where is the legislation because it is stated in the marine services Bill that it is not possible to indicate a date?
The International Criminal Court Bill 2003 was published last August. It is important that we discuss that Bill and clear it in the House. In the context of what we discussed earlier it might be a good contribution for us to make. As regards the coastal zone management Bill, that is being incorporated in a marine services Bill. I have not got a date for when that will be published.
I want to ask the Tánaiste about promised legislation in the area of consumer protection. I raised this with the Minister in the last session and she indicated that legislation was planned. However, it has not appeared on the Order Paper. This week we saw the extraordinary situation of the Director of Consumer Affairs crying out for proper penalties in the area of consumer protection and it is still not on the Government's legislative plan. What is happening to the updating of consumer protection legislation, now 25 years old?
As the Deputy may be aware, I recently appointed a group to look at this and other issues and work is going on in the Department as regards the modernisation——
There is always another report to be compiled before——
No, we have increased the penalties in some areas. There is strong consumer protection in the area of financial services and that will be further strengthened.
On a point of order——
The Deputy cannot raise a point of order. The Tánaiste is answering a question.
On a point of order, there is no legislation——
That is not a point of order. The Tánaiste will answer Deputy Richard Bruton.
Why can we not make a point of order if we want?
There is a statutory officer, Mary O'Dea, who is responsible for consumer protection.
I would prefer that the Tánaiste did not answer questions put by way of interruption. I call Deputy Sherlock.
That is a fact. That is in the Bill before the House.
There is no penalty.
There are serious penalties for breach of the code of conduct.
The Health (Amendment) Bill 2004, to which the Tánaiste referred, provides for the abolition of the health boards. Is the Government aware that implementing the Hanly report or its provisions by stealth in certain areas involves breaches of the Health Act 1970?
Does the Deputy want to know whether the legislation is proceeding to abolish the health boards? The health boards will be abolished.
The helicopter overhead has rendered the Tánaiste speechless.
Is the disability Bill being delayed deliberately until after the European and local elections or will it be published before 11 June? Will the Tánaiste advise the House whether it will be rights-based?
The first question is in order. We cannot discuss the contents of the Bill.
They are all in order.
As I informed the Deputy last week, the Bill will be published as soon as possible. It is on the agenda for the Cabinet and is almost finalised.
I too was going to ask about the disability Bill because there is great concern in the community about the intentional delay until after the local elections.
Is the Tánaiste aware that the building control Bill is now being virtually indefinitely delayed? We hear vague promises about it being available some time later this year. Is she aware that there is a strong consumer protection dimension to that Bill and will she raise the matter as a priority with her colleague, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, to bring it forward as quickly as possible?
It is due at the end of this year and I will discuss it with the Minister.
In view of the ongoing concern about people practising medicine without proper qualifications with sad effects, what urgency does the Government attach to the medical practitioners Bill and can she confirm whether the heads exist and have been approved by Government?
It is important legislation. The heads have not been approved and I do not have a date for that.
In view of the crimes recently committed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the spending of €47 million of taxpayers' money without authorisation, plus a further €5 million spent on putting a spin on the sin, does the Government intend to bring forward the crimes Bill to deal with any recurrence?
It will be a Bill for the crime of larceny.
It is not possible to indicate at this stage. An expert group has been appointed.
(Interruptions).
I was not going to read out that answer but thought I had better do so.