It is proposed to take No. 21a, statements on the Lisbon treaty. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the proceedings on No. 21a shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7 p.m. and the following arrangements shall apply: the statement of the Taoiseach and of the leaders of the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party, the Green Party, Sinn Féin and the Progressive Democrats, or a Member nominated in his or her stead, who shall be called upon in that order, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case; the statement of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; Members may share time; and immediately following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall take questions for a period not exceeding 30 minutes. Private Members’ business shall be No. 45, motion re increase in the number of sitting days, resumed, to conclude at 8.30 p.m. if not previously concluded.
Order of Business.
There is one proposal to put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 21a agreed? Agreed.
Yesterday Deputy Reilly raised the growing problem in residential institutions in the absence of the health (long-term residential care services) Bill. It will not be published before the summer recess and, therefore, will not be put through the House until late October or November which means persons affected will have to wait another six to eight months. What interim measure can the Government introduce to assist those who will face serious financial pressure as a consequence? Many have been waiting for the Bill for some time. I understand some complications have arisen with it. However, as it will not be enacted before the end of November, is it proposed to introduce some interim measure, as suggested by Deputy Reilly yesterday, to provide relief?
Not to my knowledge. I understand a new legal basis is required and that is why the Bill must be brought forward. Unfortunately, it will not be published until the beginning of next month.
I wish to raise three matters with the Taoiseach. First, the Government, in response to the Labour Party's Private Members' motion, which will be considered later, has offered to extend the Dáil sitting by a week, from 7 July to 11 July. Will there be Leaders' Questions and written and oral parliamentary questions during that week, as is normal practice?
Yesterday, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government published the report of the boundary review for local authority electoral areas. Does the Government accept the report and, if so, how and when will it be implemented?
Last night during the division on the approval for the arrangements for the prison at Thornton Hall, I noted the Government was under sufficient vote pressure, so much so that the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy Cullen, was forced to attend in his evening wear.
That was no thanks to Deputy Gilmore.
I thought he looked quite fetching in it.
Deputy Cullen was in great humour in the Chamber last night but wherever he went afterwards, he is in foul humour this morning.
Deputy Cullen should step out for a cigarette.
Deputy Gilmore will be aware that the Minister's evening wear is not in order. We will take the first two items.
I thought I would raise the tone of the place.
I am sure the Minister did, but we will not have a discussion on it now. We will return to the first two items raised.
It also caught my eye that none of the three Green Party Ministers was in the Chamber last night for the division. Given the pressure the Government was under last night, should we read any significance into it?
The invisible Ministers.
They were working hard.
There will be normal business on the extra sitting week. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will proceed with the arrangements for yesterday's report on local authority electoral areas. I cannot accommodate Deputy Gilmore's fixation with the Green Party.
Yesterday, the Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Joe Borg, published proposals for the fisheries sector which was the equivalent of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. There will be an Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 23 June.
It is not relevant on the Order of Business.
This House must have an opportunity to have a debate on the crisis facing the fishing industry before and not after the Council meeting and especially after the publication of the Commission's proposals yesterday.
Is a debate promised?
Yes, a debate is promised. Two weeks ago the Taoiseach promised the House that this debate would take place and the Government Chief Whip indicated to me that it would take place. They are reneging on that proposal and are indicating that no debate will take place.
On the debate, Taoiseach.
I am not au fait with the exact details. The Whips will be meeting today and there are a number of committees of the House where this matter could be dealt with or here if necessary. It is a matter for the Whips.
The Taoiseach indicated he would make Government time available.
No. I am making it clear there will be a Whips meeting.
I call Deputy Sheahan.
That was made clear two weeks ago.
It is equally clear today.
The Deputy is out of order. I call Deputy Sheahan.
The Taoiseach has reneged on the commitment and the Government Whip reneged on the commitment and Deputy Pat Carey knows that. The commitment was given that there would be a debate.
Deputy Sheahan is in order.
In support of my colleague I advise and urge the Taoiseach to arrange for this debate. This is not a form of warning but rather I advise the Taoiseach that fishermen are becoming very militant. We have seen what the French can do. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food met them last week, under duress.
We cannot deal with that now.
He refused to meet them. The junior Minister was to meet them but he had to roll back on that and he met with them——
We cannot go into that now. I call Deputy Durkan.
What is being put on the table by Commissioner Borg is just moving around money which would put an end to decommissioning. It is a serious issue.
The Taoiseach has answered. Deputy Durkan is next.
The fishermen who closed down the country——
Deputy Durkan is in order.
On a point of order.
I hope this is a point of order because we must move on.
The record of the House will show the Taoiseach gave a commitment here that this debate would take place and could be arranged by the Whips. That was to take place this week.
That is not a point of order of course.
The Taoiseach is indicating the debate can only take place after the Council of Ministers meeting which is the equivalent of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. We are asking that this debate take place tomorrow so this House has an opportunity to address all the issues of concern — the immediate concerns of the fuel crisis but also a range of other issues such as illegal unreported catches, quota issues etc. There are a myriad of issues that need to be addressed.
Deputy Creed has made his point. The Taoiseach has indicated that the Whips will be discussing——
The Taoiseach has now withdrawn the commitment he gave previously. The Government Whip indicated to me this debate would take place this week.
The Whips have to discuss it. I call Deputy Durkan.
The general topic of discussion outside this House seems to be rising prices.
It might well be but——
I can see the Ceann Comhairle is anxious to help me out. There seems to be no response from the Government and no indication of what will be done.
This is completely out of order.
An explosive situation is developing and if some action is not taken ——
We cannot have that now.
Can I ask the Taoiseach if it is intended to address this issue under one or other of the Bills before us or is it intended to bring legislation into the House?
No legislation is promised in this area.
This is an important issue. The Taoiseach or the Tánaiste, the Minister for rising prices, might like to answer.
Of course it is but there are several important issues and I cannot go into that.
There is total silence. Speaking of silence, the three monkeys on my right hand side——
I call Deputy Deenihan.
In view of the numerous reports yesterday in various national media about overweight children costing the State approximately €4 billion a year, when does the Taoiseach intend putting in place the recommendations of the national task force on obesity? The report was published three years ago in 2005. I understand the implementation of several of the recommendations was promised but nothing has happened.
Is legislation promised in this area?
At the time the Taoiseach gave a commitment that he would appoint a Minister of State to take charge of implementing the recommendations but nothing has happened. Industry was asked to do seven things and these have been done.
Is legislation promised in that area?
The Taoiseach's office has done absolutely nothing.
I have to move on. Is legislation promised in that area?
Not that I am aware of.
Would it be possible to have even a discussion on this document?
Not unless a debate is promised. It is a matter for the Whips. I call Deputy Bannon.
We cannot even get them when a debate is promised.
Industrial noise pollution has reached unacceptable levels for many citizens. When can we expect the noise Bill to come before the House? It is a long time promised.
I told the Deputy earlier that it would be introduced later this year.
That is applicable to the lone remaining dissident, the Independent backbencher.