Vol. 590 No. 3
It is proposed to take No. 19c, Supplementary and Additional Estimates for Public Services [Votes 16 and 39], back from committee; No. 4, Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Bill 2004 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and No. 5, Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004 — Order for Second Stage and Second Stage.
It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 19c shall be decided without debate and any division demanded thereon shall be taken forthwith.
There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 19c without debate agreed? Agreed.
Will the Tánaiste comment on the discussions she had yesterday with the hospital management authorities in Crumlin?
That does not arise on the Order of Business. The question was requested for the Adjournment and will be dealt with on that.
I realise that, but it is possibly a matter of life or death. As the Tánaiste knows, Ireland is being taken to the European Court for non-compliance with Directive 91/439 on driving licences. Does the Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004 which comes before the House today cater for compliance with the directive and will it obviate the need for us to go to court?
In respect of the L&O case dealing with citizenship, there are approximately 9,000 such persons here. Are there plans to regularise their position?
On driving licences, the Minister for Transport has informed me that draft regulations to transpose the directive are being prepared and will be signed shortly. There is no proposed legislation in the area of the case mentioned by the Deputy. We have citizenship legislation, on foot of the referendum, which will be discussed shortly.
When will the third level student support Bill be brought before the House? I draw the Tánaiste's attention to the Air Navigation and Transport (Preinspection) Act 1986, which sets out the duties that may be performed by a person involved on behalf of, for example, the American Government in terms of preinspection at airports. There is no legislative authority in that Act for the fingerprinting of Irish citizens at Shannon Airport by the American authorities. Are there plans to give legislative authority to another state for the fingerprinting of Irish citizens while in the Irish jurisdiction?
In reply to the second question, there is no legislation promised in that regard. It is not possible to say at this stage when legislation on third level student support will be ready.
Is the Tánaiste satisfied there is legislative authority for another state to fingerprint Irish citizens?
I suggest the Deputy submit a question to the appropriate Minister.
To be honest, I do not know whether there is authority. I do not have legal expertise in the area.
I am disappointed my request under Standing Order No. 31 on heart surgery will not be taken. There is a need for the health sector to know what is planned. One Cavan general practitioner said she would prefer to send a patient to a veterinary surgery than to Cavan General Hospital——
Has the Deputy a question on the Order of Business?
I do. The veterinary medicine Bill was promised in January 2004 and again for the Easter session of 2004. I know it comes under the Department of Agriculture and Food. However, given the Cavan general practitioner's feelings on the matter, are there plans to discuss it with the Department of Health and Children?
The legislation is due this session.
When does the Tánaiste expect to see the Dublin metro Bill? Will she make available to the House the cost benefit analysis the Government has completed on it so that we can have informed debate in the House?
No decision has been made by the Government on that matter, but my note tells me it is due for publication in 2005.
What about the cost benefit analysis?
If such exists, it should be made public.
Grand Canal harbour in my constituency has become the site of a major illegal dump. Why does the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government think it is appropriate to reply to Pat Kenny and RTE on this matter but not to the House?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
I failed to get an answer from the Minister on this issue.
The Deputy will have to find another way of raising it.
On a point of order, this is one of many matters which Ministers refuse to address in the House and it is appropriate, given the gravity of the situation, that the Tánaiste——
That is not a point of order nor is it a matter for the Order of Business.
The Ceann Comhairle ruled out an Adjournment debate in my name in recent days.
The debate was ruled out because it is the responsibility of the local authority, not the Minister.
It raises a similar issue.
With all its difficulties, I roundly reject the reference to Cavan hospital in the tones that have been repeated here this morning.
Will the report on nitrates, commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, be published later? Will legislation be introduced on the basis of the report or will an opportunity be afforded to discuss it in the House, perhaps in the coming week, given its important ramifications for people involved in agriculture, not least in my constituency?
I do not know when it will be published. It was discussed at a Government meeting this week and I will have the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government communicate with the Deputy regarding when it will be published. It is not a question of legislation.
Will it be discussed in the House?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
When will the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Bill come before the House? Have the heads been agreed?
The Bill is not expected until next year.
It is six months since the ninth report of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution was published. It recommended measures to control the price of building land. Does the Government intend to do anything about the report? Will the Tánaiste make arrangements to have the report debated in the House?
Has the debate been promised?
It was promised by the Taoiseach. Will the Tánaiste give approval to the Chief Whip to arrange a debate on this matter?
It is only appropriate on the Order of Business to ask about promised debates, otherwise it is a matter for the Whips or the line Minister.
The Taoiseach referred this issue to the all-party committee.
It would be a good idea to have a debate on the matter. Perhaps the Whips will discuss that.
It is in order for a report of a sub-committee of the House to be debated in the House.
Not unless it has been promised.
The debate has been promised several times by the Taoiseach.
The Chair will have to read Standing Order 26 once again. It is not in order and never has been in order.
I refer to the Dublin metro Bill, which, for the past year and a half, has been promised for 2005. The Tánaiste indicated in her response to an earlier question that, although it has been promised for 2005, she did not believe that had any meaning. What is the status of a Bill if it is on the legislative programme?
The Bill is scheduled for next year, according to the note I have. The Government has not made a decision on the Dublin metro.
Who wrote the note?
Does the Tánaiste believe it will be scheduled next year?
Who put the Bill on this list?
Seamusín.
We must examine funding issues and so on. There are major issues involved in this matter. It has not been decided.
Should it be on or off the legislative programme?
It is part of the programme for Government and that is why there is proposed legislation in this area.
Does it mean anything?
Irish troops are unable to take part in the EU peacekeeping mission in Macedonia, which is on our doorstep, because theChinese Government vetoed it. In view of that and the visit of Kofi Annan, will the Tánaiste provide time for a debate on the Bill proposed by Fine Gael to end the triple lock and the absurd situation in which we find ourselves?
That is a matter for the House to decide. The Whips can decide the timeframe. It is a Private Members' Bill so there is the option of discussing it then.
Having received the report from the consultants concerning the future structure of Aer Lingus and its privatisation, does the Government intend to publish it in the context of legislation that may be required to complete the sale of the company?
The Government has not had an opportunity to discuss the report. I understand there will be a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee shortly for the purpose of discussing it. If there was commercially sensitive information, it might not be desirable to publish that part of the report. On any decision the Government would make on this matter, it would want the greatest level of information in the public domain so that the public could understand the basis on which we would make a decision.
The Taoiseach promised us a debate on the future of Aer Lingus before a decision was made when the Cabinet sub-committee was set up. A significant number of workers are concerned about the Tánaiste's previous threat to privatise. When will the sub-committee's report be brought before the Dáil? When will we have an opportunity to discuss the future of our national airline?
We have not had an opportunity even at Cabinet sub-committee level to discuss this report but I am sure it is the Government's intention to make the report available as quickly as possible.
When will we have a debate?
At the appropriate time.
The Government cannot continue to duck and dive on this important issue.
Is the debate promised?
Will we have a debate this session?
No debate is promised. The Deputy should submit a parliamentary question to the line Minister on the matter.
There was a commitment from the Taoiseach. Will we have a debate this session on the future of Aer Lingus?
If any decision is made on the structure of Aer Lingus, it will be——
When will a decision be made?
I cannot tell the Deputy. I do not know.
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
Is the Government stringing this out indefinitely? That is outrageous treatment.
The Deputy knows Aer Lingus needs a lot of resources.
Given the difficulties faced by people obtaining deeds from the Land Registry, when will the registration of deeds and titles Bill be brought before the House?
This session.
Considering the success of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform yesterday in getting legislation dating back to 1999 through the Oireachtas, when can we expect further inroads by him in his brief? I refer, in particular, to the Garda Síochána Bill and the criminal justice Bill.
Very soon.
Will we have to wait five years?
Will the Minister spend this weekend in the west?
He will raise the roof in the west.
Is the Progressive Democrats still supporting Government policy on one-off housing?
Only if the house costs €600,000.
One of the purposes of the fisheries amendment Bill is to ensure Irish fisheries administration is in full compliance with EU law. Given the serious allegations in recent days about one of our national fishery ports, when will it be published?
Is the Tánaiste concerned about the dismissive comments about her party by a senior member of Fianna Fáil who wants to go into coalition with Sinn Féin?
The Tánaiste should reply to the first question on the fisheries legislation.
It will be introduced this session. Given Deputy Rabbitte's Mayo connections, I was wondering whether he agreed with DesCahill who said if Michael Ring had been playing for Mayo, they would have trounced Kerry.
Not if I was playing for Kerry.
The Taoiseach has promised on a number of occasions to keep the House updated on the decentralisation programme. Will the Tánaiste indicate what mechanisms are in place to keep the House up to date as promised? Will any Department move within the foreseeable future?
I understand that a major announcement on decentralisation is imminent and will perhaps be made today or tomorrow. The Minister of State at the Department of Finance may attend a committee of the House to discuss the decentralisation programme.
