Order of Business.

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take No. 7, motion re referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Risk Equalisation (Amendment) Scheme 2008; No. 8, motion re referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Employment Equality Act 1998 (Section 12) (Church of Ireland College of Education) Order 2008; No. 21, Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008[Seanad] Second Stage (resumed), to adjourn at 7 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 22, statements on committee report on the enhanced role for national parliaments in the Lisbon reform treaty.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that (1) the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. and business shall be interrupted not later than 10 p.m; (2) Nos. 7 and 8 shall be decided without debate; (3) the following arrangements shall apply in respect of No. 22: (i) the opening statement of the Chairman of the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny and of the main spokespersons for the Government, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; the statements of each other member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; and members may share time; and (4) Private Members' business, which shall be No. 46 — motion re allocation of carbon allowances, shall take place at 7 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 21, whichever is the later, and shall also take place tomorrow after the Order of Business and be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes on that day.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

There are four proposals to put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. 7 and 8, motions referring to the joint committee without debate, agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 22, statements on the committee report on the enhanced role of national parliaments in the Lisbon reform treaty, agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal dealing with Private Members' business agreed to? Agreed.

Deputy Enda Kenny

Having agreed the proposal for No. 22, I wish to raise a matter brought to my attention by Deputy Flanagan in respect of this committee for scrutiny of the European Union. I commended the Taoiseach's predecessor for upgrading the committee to what is currently a full-scale, all-party committee. We must understand there is a river of initiatives and proposals coming down at this committee. Although it is a full-scale Oireachtas committee, it must be resourced properly and have access to legal personnel and those who can interpret many of the initiatives so the Members of Dáil and Seanad can do their job properly.

We do not want a case where a few years down the road, people will say a proposal was approved by the Oireachtas committee charged with European scrutiny but there were unwanted consequences. Having endorsed the committee's elevation to a full-scale committee, I ask the Taoiseach to consider the question of access to proper resources for the committee in the context of these statements. I state this now because I will not have an opportunity to speak in the debate later.

In respect of the Roads Act 2007, I note the very critical comments of the chairman of the Road Safety Authority, Mr. Gay Byrne, on the continued delay and complication in the roll-out of speed cameras. This arises either from administration problems or a lack of finance. Will the Taoiseach comment on freeing up that bottleneck given last weekend's carnage on the roads, with the loss of another seven or eight people? It is a matter requiring some clear direction.

Deputy Thomas P. Broughan

On the second matter raised by Deputy Kenny, speed camera roll-out, we thought the process finished last December. We are now reaching the end of another Dáil session and it still seems to be stuck at some sort of tendering stage. We had discussions last year with the Ministers for Transport and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who indicated a cost issue was involved and that was the reason the roll-out was not happening. Will the Taoiseach clarify the matter and explain why the roll-out is not happening?

The Taoiseach

Notification has been issued to the preferred bidder and arrangements are in train for the contract discussions to take place. Those negotiations will be led by the Garda as the contracting authority and the body with the expertise in this area. As soon as the contract is concluded, the start-up and roll-out of the network can commence. It is not possible to give a precise timetable in advance of contract discussions being concluded.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Does the Taoiseach wish to comment on the first point made by Deputy Kenny?

The Taoiseach

It is a matter that will have to be considered. I note what Deputy Flanagan has indicated.

Deputy Enda Kenny

It will be considered.

Deputy Eamon Gilmore

On Thursday, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, who was taking the Order of Business, told me the employment agency regulations Bill will be published this session. She told me that in response to a question I put to her about the Government's position on the temporary agency workers directive being considered by the European Union at present.

I indicated to her that the British Government, which, together with Ireland and Hungary had been one of the last three opponents of the directive, had reached agreement with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry and was withdrawing the objection to the agency workers directive. I asked the Minister, as there is an Employment Council on 9 June, if the Government would withdraw its block on the temporary agency workers directive.

In view of what the Minister, Deputy Harney, had to say about the employment agency regulations Bill and that it would be published this session anyway, I ask that the Government withdraw its objection to the temporary agency workers directive at EU level.

The Taoiseach

As the Deputy knows, the question of agency workers is under the aegis of social partnership discussions, which are ongoing. That is the forum in which discussions can and are taking place to see in what way it could be possible to progress the issue to everyone's satisfaction. I suggest that these discussions must take place and we must continue with them to ensure progress can be made.

As the issues arise in the Social Affairs Council they will have to be dealt with by the line Minister in terms of the monthly meetings. I cannot give a commitment on the area until such time as the social partners have discussed the matter further and we can see what way to proceed.

Deputy Eamon Gilmore

I do not understand the answer. The social partnership talks surely do not include what will be in a European directive. There are two issues. I can understand social partnership discussions will clearly involve what will be in domestic legislation but the immediate matter is that Ireland and Hungary are now the only two countries blocking a European directive on temporary agency workers. The British have now lifted their objection.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We cannot debate it now.

Deputy Eamon Gilmore

I am not debating it but I want to know if the Government will drop the veto it is exercising on the introduction of European legislation to protect temporary agency workers.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte

It might be helpful at this time to say "Yes" to that for other reasons.

The Taoiseach

The bottom line, as I have said, is the text of the issue is being considered for next week's meeting. Until we have finalised the arrangements next week, I cannot say which way that will go. I will investigate the matter.

Deputy Joan Burton

That will be too late.

Deputy Eamon Gilmore

Is that in terms of the Employment Council?

The Taoiseach

Yes, the Employment Council meeting on Monday.

Deputy Joan Burton

The Taoiseach means next Thursday.

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan

On promised legislation, I refer to the Bill to update and consolidate company law, which will allegedly bring greater clarification and simplification to the companies code and modernise Irish company law through the consolidation of the existing 13 Company Law Acts, other regulations and case law. I wonder about the timescale, which appears vague. It is indicated that publication is expected but it is not possible to indicate it at this time. When will this be possible?

Will the Taoiseach indicate progress on the five or six most pertinent pieces of justice legislation, which are deemed necessary in order to make an impact on the area referred to by my colleague, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and by us all at one time or the other?

The Taoiseach

I understand there are five justice Bills on the A list for this session. It is not possible to offer a date for publication of the first Bill mentioned by Deputy Durkan.

Deputy James Reilly

On the same topic, I asked the Taoiseach and his predecessor on numerous occasions about this legislation. People are waiting for it and have no financial arrangements in place. Each time Deputy Jan O'Sullivan or I ask for it, we are told the Bill will be this session. We were told that before Christmas and Easter. After tomorrow, there are a mere nine days left this session. Is it really realistic to think we will see it this session? If so, we need ample time to debate it clearly because it is complex legislation that will impact on many people. I am told there have been 14 drafts already.

Deputy Pádraic McCormack

This session means the next session.

The Taoiseach

My information is that it will be this session.

Deputy Ciarán Lynch

Deputy Enda Kenny

This session goes on until 24 September.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch

I want to ask the Taoiseach about the Mental Capacity and Guardianship Bill that was promised for this session. It was published as a Private Members' Bill, which the Government did not oppose, but I do not see it anywhere. Where is it at the moment?

Cervical smear testing has been rolled out to the entire country and that is welcome, though overdue. Every woman in the country will be grateful for that. Are there proposals to negotiate with GPs to stop them charging women with medical cards €55 for a smear test?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Deputy knows that is not relevant on the Order of Business. I am sure she can find another way to raise the matter, either through a question or another means.

The Taoiseach

I understand the legislation referred to will come before the House later this year.

Deputy Leo Varadkar

I wish to ask about forthcoming legislation, specifically the Civil Partnership Bill, the publication of which was promised in March. The Taoiseach will be aware of recent newspaper articles suggesting there may be disagreements between the Government parties on this legislation. I suspect this may have more to do with the mindset of the new Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, given the somewhat medieval comments he made on civil rights issues in the past.

When will the Bill be published? Will it be published before the conclusion of this session? If the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has a difficulty with equality and law reform will he assign the Bill to another, more appropriate, Minister who is prepared to pilot it through the House?

The Taoiseach

I understand the Bill is due to be published later this year.

Deputy Charles Flanagan

Earlier today in a press release the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who was skirting the House just now, requested the co-operation of the Opposition in the easy passage of the Sale of Alcohol Bill through the House before the summer recess. As there are only nine sitting days left and this Bill was only published today, it is one of five on the A list in the area of justice and one of 49 in the entire legislative programme, will the Taoiseach prioritise this matter? He might think it only fair and reasonable that consideration will be given by the Opposition to co-operation in the passage of Bills provided that ample time is allowed for debate.

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan

Hear, hear.

Deputy Charles Flanagan

It seems the Government is building up to a massive guillotine in the last nine days of this session. Ministers seeking co-operation from this side of the House should know it will only be forthcoming for legislation flagged well in advance with ample opportunity allowed for appropriate scrutiny of the sort expected under the Constitution. For a Minister to send out a press release implying that if legislation is not passed by the summer the Opposition is somehow responsible is unsatisfactory and fundamentally unfair.

The Taoiseach

This matter arises from a report issued under Gordon Holmes so that there would be a fair degree of knowledge of its content. As Deputy Flanagan said, the legal text is also to be examined in the context of its passage through the House. As the Bill has the broad support of all parties in the House I hope it will be possible to see it enacted before the end of this session. I note the Deputy's comments.

Is the Taoiseach aware that a matter referred to committee last week, which is, essentially, a planning application for the new prison at Thornton Hall, is being considered by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights and is required to be returned to the House by tomorrow evening? If one was building a conservatory at the back of one's house the local authority would make one wait two months or more before giving approval. It is not possible to operate a committee system where Departments, in this case the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, which is the only Department to produce legislation since last June, expect matters to be turned around in 24 hours. We cannot operate a committee system where Departments dictate the agenda. Is the Taoiseach prepared to agree to an extension on this matter? We can discharge our function by examining the planning application and returning to this House one week after we resume after the Lisbon agenda.

Deputy Pádraic McCormack

Make an application for an extension.

The Taoiseach

There have been discussions since this matter was raised and I understand the committee will be able to examine it again on Tuesday week and then return to the House.

Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 4 Jun 2008

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Jun 2008