It is proposed to take No. 13, motion re referral to select committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a report by the Minister for Defence pursuant to section 4 of the Defence (Amendment) Act 1993; No. 20, Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2004 — Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 21, Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill 2004 — Second Stage (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 13 shall be decided without debate. Private Members' business shall be No. 51, motion re licensing of café bars.
Order of Business.
There is one proposal to put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 13, motion re referral to select committee, to be decided without debate, agreed?
It is not agreed. No. 13, which relates to the involvement of the Irish Army in the United Nations, is a motion which I and the Green Party consider needs to be debated in this House, on the basis of consistency. If the Dáil is required to provide approval for the role of the Irish Army, it seems obvious and logical that we should also debate the role of the Army, taking an interest in its important activities overseas.
Question, "That the proposal for dealing with No. 13 without debate be agreed", put and declared carried.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach two questions. The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill went through the Seanad last December and it was supposed to be before this House last month. Given that I understand there are only three sitting weeks remaining, is it likely that Bill will arrive here before the summer recess?
I note from newspaper reports the intention of the Government Whip to introduce shortly proposals on Dáil reform. When the Taoiseach answers questions on Leaders' Questions Ministers have been known to whisper or pass notes to him. It seems the Whip is proposing it will become a Ministers' question time instead of a Leaders' question time. When does the Taoiseach propose to introduce proposals for Dáil reform and will they include the Taoiseach's attendance here on Thursday mornings? He will be absent tomorrow and Thursday, and I understand the reason for that, but he will have only four more appearances here before he will glide off into the sunset of the summer. Now that the Minister for Defence is back from Kosovo I suppose the Taoiseach will be reinforced in the security that surrounds him.
The Minister came by Oola.
On the Deputy's first question on the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill, it will not be ready before the summer, it will be the autumn before it is completed.
On the matter of Dáil reform——
On the Dáil reform proposals, I understand they are the subject of discussion between the Whips.
They are the subject of announcements by the Taoiseach's Whip.
There were no announcements.
I read them in a newspaper.
A proposal was put forward that in addition to Leaders' question time, Ministers would deal with other topical issues. That sounded like a sensible proposal, rather than taking some of these issues on the Adjournment at 11 p.m., but that is a matter for Members to discuss. I will be here on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but I will not be here on Thursday.
The Taoiseach will not open any café bars.
Not a hope. As long as I can get a drink in a restaurant, I will be happy. What I outlined is the subject of the proposals. It is purely a matter for the House whether it wants to reach agreement on that, otherwise we will continue as at present. There are some good proposals and it would be useful if the Whips could complete their consideration of them so that in the autumn session we can deal with them. I will not seek parity with that of Prime Ministers in other countries and only come to Parliament every six or seven weeks. I am happy to come in here.
(Interruptions).
That is just as well as a number of them are on very shaky ground.
The Taoiseach will remember telling the House that if the Minister, Deputy Martin, had read his brief it would have saved the country €50 million. The Tánaiste told us on 12 May that failure to sign regulations was costing approximately €12 million a month — that amounts to approximately €144 million a year. If the Minister, Deputy Martin, had read his papers, he would have saved the Taoiseach the best part of two years——
Has the Deputy a question appropriate to the Order of Business?
I do, Sir. I anticipated the Ceann Comhairle would ask me that. The Tánaiste said on 12 May that she would be signing the regulations next week, but to the best of my knowledge, they have not been signed. When is it proposed to sign them?
I do not have a date. I will have to check with the Tánaiste when the regulations are to be signed.
Given that the Taoiseach is heading to Brussels for the European Council meeting — he will be absent from the Dáil between now and then effectively — and that the Twenty-Eight Amendment of the Constitution Bill has been published, would it not be logical that the House would have an opportunity——
That matter does not arise on the Order of Business.
——at least to be consulted in advance of the meeting with the other Heads of State? How can he represent this Parliament otherwise?
I call Deputy Crawford.
Will the Taoiseach allow us that opportunity?
A debate on that matter is not promised.
The Bill is promised.
The Bill has been published. Will the Ceann Comhairle facilitate the Taoiseach to answer the question?
Will we debate the Bill?
It will be taken this week.
That is disgraceful.
In light of the ongoing problems in the health service, when will the health Bill and the nurses amendment Bill be discussed in the Dáil?
Will the Taoiseach congratulate Kevin McBride on beating the odds given in the media?
The health Bill, which is to provide for the establishment of the Health Information and Quality Authority and the Social Services Inspectorate on a statutory basis, will be before the House this year. The nurses amendment Bill is to update the provisions on the regulation of nurses and midwives. I do not have a date for the introduction of that Bill.
When will a Bill that has been promised by two consecutive Ministers over a period of three years, the work permits Bill, be published and brought before the House? Is there a prospect that it might be debated before the Dáil goes into recess.
It is to be published this session, although I do not know if we will reach it.
In the next three weeks.
Yes, I understand it is almost ready.
The Minister for Health and Children recently signalled her intention to provide yet further resources for the private health industry, that is, the provision of land adjacent to public hospitals for private hospital facilities. Will this require legislation and, if so, when does the Taoiseach expect it will be introduced?
Not at this stage. When it is formally cleared by Government it may require legislation but at this stage no legislation is promised.
I was going to ask the Taoiseach for a progress report on the beauty treatment but perhaps we should wait to see how it progresses and I was going to inquire what it entails but it is not promised legislation just yet.
The Deputy should ask a question on promised legislation.
I was wondering what process it followed such as whether it was eyeliner to raise the eyebrows of ministerial colleagues or whatever. I advise the Taoiseach to be careful of the vanishing cream.
In regard to promised legislation, the energy (miscellaneous provisions) Bill has been promised for some time with little energy attached to progressing it. The Minister with responsibility for that area, like many other Ministers, is not present. Is it intended to debate it in the House before the recess? Is there any intention to bring the national oil reserves agency Bill before the House as a matter of urgency, energy being a moot subject at present with energy prices rising at an alarming rate?
The energy (miscellaneous provisions) Bill will be published this session and the national oil reserves agency Bill will be published in the autumn.
Has the Taoiseach had an opportunity to study the recent comments of the judge who described it as extraordinary that the Government gave a €62 million public asset to——
Has the Deputy a question on legislation?
I have.
The Deputy should come to the legislation as time is moving on.
This is a €62 million asset.
That matter does not arise. I call Deputy Cowley.
The Government has promised legislation, namely, the Abbotstown sports campus development authority Bill.
The Taoiseach should respond on that Bill.
If we do not get an answer on this issue we will think the Taoiseach's make-up——
The Deputy should allow the Taoiseach to answer her question on the legislation.
The legislation will be published this session.
People going about their business and breaking no laws are put in mortal danger and many young people have been killed.
Has the Deputy a question on legislation?
I have.
What is the legislation?
Many more will be killed because of the failure to implement basic regulations and the failure to investigate these cases.
I call Deputy Gilmore.
Is there any upcoming legislation to ensure these basic regulations are adhered to by the National Roads Authority, the Health and Safety Authority and the local authorities?
The Deputy should name the legislation on which he wants an answer.
On the previous occasion I asked the Taoiseach about the possibility of a debate on the many reports on housing published in the past two years, he indicated that the Government was preparing some proposals in this area. Has the Government concluded its preparation of these proposals, will they be brought before the House and will we have a debate on the various housing reports before the end of the session?
I hope the Government's work in this area will be finished before the end of the session but I cannot be certain. I accept I promised the Deputy a debate.
Is this a promise the Taoiseach will keep?
I keep them all. We will try to have it finished before the end of the session. As I said previously, I would prefer to have the debate when the proposals have been prepared but if that is not possible, we can debate the reports in any event. I will try to have the proposals prepared before the break.