It is proposed to take No. 11, motion to rescind the Order of Referral of Access to the Central Treasury Funds (Commission for Energy Regulation) Bill 2011[Seanad] to the Select Sub-committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; No. 1, Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad] — Second Stage; and No. 14 — statements on the report by the interdepartmental working group on mortgage arrears (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that No. 11 shall be decided without debate. Private Members’ business shall be No. 36, motion re mental health services.
Order of Business.
Is the proposal for dealing with No. 11, without debate, agreed to? Agreed.
I was somewhat surprised by the Taoiseach's confirmation of the resignation of the Minister of State, Deputy Willie Penrose. On a personal level, I got on very well with the Deputy over the years. Will the Taoiseach outline to the House the reasons the Minister of State resigned and the implications of this for the implementation of legislation already committed to, in particular that relating to housing and the regeneration programme in Limerick?
That was agreed during the last Government.
Does this resignation confirm the closure of the four barracks, in Mullingar, Cavan, Clonmel and Castlebar? When does the Taoiseach anticipate replacing the Minister of State? Will he outline any implications for the programme for Government? This is the second resignation from Government parties this year. Does the Taoiseach anticipate any further resignations before the end of the year?
We are on the Order of Business now, discussing promised legislation.
As I did already, I can confirm to Deputy Martin that the Government has made its decision in respect of the four barracks he mentioned. Those closures will become effective from the end of March 2012. Every Member of the House is entitled to make his or her decision in his or her own way in regard to continued representation as either a member of Government, or of any party, and I respect that absolutely. It is always disappointing to lose a member of Government. I commended Deputy Penrose on his activities in pursuit of his housing responsibilities as Minister of State. He introduced a number of constructive proposals which are working well. In due course the Government will make an appointment as his successor.
Was any effort made to prevent the resignation?
I am sorry, Deputy, that matter is not on the Order of Business.
It seems extraordinary this is happening, given the enormity of events——
I am sorry, Taoiseach. Deputy Martin is out of order. I call Deputy Adams.
I, too, commend Deputy Penrose on his work as Minister of State and his long service to the Labour Party. I commend his action to other Labour Party Ministers at this time.
I have two questions. We applied through the Whips to get more time to debate the cuts in capital programmes that were announced last week. Will the Taoiseach encourage his Whip to state whether more time can be allocated to debate this issue? The programme for Government contains a commitment to provide for the right to collective bargaining. When will this legislation be introduced? This issue arose during earlier questions. Without such protections trade unions cannot act as they need to in order to protect terms and conditions of employment and resist the downward pressure on wages.
Opening statements on the capital programme will be introduced tomorrow, followed by a 45-minute question and answer session. The matter will be slotted in again next week in the House. Deputy Adams and his fellow party members will have plenty of opportunity to have their say.
What about the legislation on collective bargaining?
I do not have detail on that. I will advise the Deputy.
This afternoon the Government announced its decision to close St. Brigid's Hospital, Shaen, Portlaoise. This follows a decision two weeks ago to close Abbeyleix Hospital.
Is this for the Order of Business?
It is very relevant to what Government business should be in the House today. It announced the closure of two hospitals in County Laois over two weeks. Two weeks ago, the Minister for Health came to the House.
Deputy, you are out of order. Please resume your seat. This is not for the Order of Business but for a parliamentary question.
We all know the Minister stood down the board of the HSE——
I call Deputy McConalogue. Deputy Fleming should table a parliamentary question.
The reason I raise this——
Deputy Fleming, you are out of order.
The reason I raise this matter is that I followed the Ceann Comhairle's advice and tabled the matter of the closure of the hospital in Abbeyleix as a topical issue two weeks ago. The Minister came to the House but did no more than read out the statement of the HSE. I asked him for further information.
Thank you, Deputy. You will get a reply then. Please resume your seat.
I tabled a question seeking the facts regarding documentation on the closure of the hospital in Abbeyleix and am awaiting a reply.
There you are. You have asked a parliamentary question. What are we all getting excited about?
The parliamentary procedure has not operated satisfactorily. The decision announced today——
I am sorry, Deputy. Please resume your seat.
——is a ministerial decision not a HSE decision.
Please respect the Chair and resume your seat.
It is not a decision of the board of the HSE. These decisions have gone directly——
Deputy Fleming, I am on my feet.
These decisions have been made directly on the matter and the Minister has taken it on himself——
I am not going to throw you out because that is what you are looking for. Please resume your seat.
I tabled a question for written answer today——
Deputy Fleming, please resume your seat.
(Interruptions).
A Cheann Comhairle, what is the point in my tabling the question for written answer today?
Deputy Fleming, you are totally out of order. Resume your seat, please.
(Interruptions).
I want the Minister to come into the House.
I suspend the House for five minutes.
Sitting suspended at 4.57 p.m. and resumed at 5.03 p.m.
I wish to put on the record that it is 30 years since I was elected to the Dáil. I have never in 30 years seen such behaviour, including——
Deputies
Hear, hear.
——total disrespect for the institution of the Chair.
A Cheann Comhairle, I concur with that.
Apologise.
I have been in this Chamber for 14 years.
I want to say I find it absolutely objectionable that the leader of your party will not tell you to resume your seat and stop disobeying the orders of the Chair.
I have never before had to take to my feet to seek the attention of the House in this manner.
I do not find it funny. I will keep suspending the House.
There has never before been a situation where two hospitals in one county were closed in the space of two weeks——
Especially as we are now live on television——
——without any public statement and without the Minister coming in here to explain his thinking.
The Deputy should have some respect.
It is not a HSE decision.
——and the people can see exactly what is going on——
Elderly people are frightened in their beds tonight in Shaen Hospital and in Abbeyleix.
Have some respect for the Chair.
If this is the behaviour of the Fianna Fáil Party, I regret it very much.
The distress this is causing to the staff and the families of people who are severely ill——
The Deputy should raise it on the Adjournment.
Is Deputy McConalogue going to speak? No.
People in Shaen Hospital were shocked to hear this news this evening.
Shame on you.
Reprehensible.
I call Deputy Boyd Barrett.
This is on top of an earlier situation.
Just ignore him Deputy, please.
Chair, I——
I refer to what happened in Abbeyleix two weeks ago.
Do not mind him.
The Minister has decided to introduce a new policy——
I call Deputy Boyd Barrett.
——of privatising district hospitals.
I ask Deputy Martin in the interests of democracy to ask his colleague to resume his seat.
I am not chairing the Dáil.
This is not a matter for any Member other than the Deputies representing Laois-Offaly.
I ask Deputy Boyd Barrett not to mind——
This affects our constituency.
His microphone is not on. He is not being recorded.
I will not be asked by any intermediary from anywhere else——
He is wasting his breath.
I fully respect the position of my party leader, as he respects the position of those who have been democratically elected.
I call Deputy Durkan.
Go on.
If I had an opportunity——
On promised legislation, a Cheann Comhairle——
Yes, thank you.
——I would have raised this issue by means of a parliamentary question here on the floor.
Could I ask, on promised legislation——
I had the situation in relation to Shaen Hospital on the Order Paper here today.
——the present whereabouts and progress in relation to the mental capacity Bill?
I raised the situation in relation to Abbeyleix Hospital during Topical Issues a couple of weeks ago.
I call the Taoiseach on the mental capacity Bill.
I did not receive a satisfactory response from the Minister.
I answered that last week, a Cheann Comhairle.
The Ceann Comhairle has asked me to use an appropriate mechanism to raise this issue.
It will be introduced early next year.
He said I should do so by means of parliamentary question or during Topical Issues.
I would like to mention two other items.
I have exhausted every procedure available to me in the House.
The Deputy should be apologising for making a mess of the country.
I was elected to represent the people of the constituency of Laois-Offaly.
The consumer and competition Bill has been promised for early next year.
I have on every occasion abided by the rules of the House.
Can I have some indication of whether the heads have been approved?
I raised this matter by means of parliamentary question last week.
Deputy Dooley should give him a push.
I have two questions on the Order Paper for written response today.
Is it progressing in a satisfactory fashion?
Keep going.
The Minister is not even here. I want to know why the Minister made this decision.
There is one other Bill.
Was this agreed at Cabinet level? Was the decision made by the Minister personally?
I have mentioned the companies Bill many times.
Was it approved by all the Ministers in the Department?
It is a very extensive proposal.
Are the people in charge of elderly care responsible for this decision?
Could I ask the Taoiseach to give some indication of the extent to which its progress has been further expedited?
This is not a matter for HSE management. The Minister personally stood down the board of the HSE.
When might we expect to see it appear before the House?
He asked all of them to resign their seats on the board of the HSE.
The consumer Bill will be introduced early next year.
He said he would be personally responsible for all decisions in relation to health matters.
The companies Bill will be introduced in the middle of next year. There are 1,200 sections in that Bill.
He said he would make hands-on decisions in relation to hospitals and health care.
I call Deputy Mattie McGrath.
I want the Minister to answer questions here today——
Is Deputy McGrath not ready to speak?
I am.
——about the closure of two hospitals in two weeks.
I cannot hear.
I ask Deputy McGrath to put his question.
I cannot hear you.
The Minister should be here.
Put your question. I can hear you.
You can hear me.
Yes.
I have a right to raise issues that relate to my constituency.
I want to ask the Government what legislation it is using to close down the whole country.
I will do so on behalf of elderly people in County Laois——
It is shutting two hospitals in Portlaoise.
——and elderly people throughout the country.
It is closing a barracks and a hospital in Clonmel.
Sorry. Resume your seat.
A hospital has been closed in Abbeyleix.
We have had our barracks for 400 years.
A closure has been announced in another area.
We got rid of the British 100 years ago.
It is with deep regret——
Cromwell is back.
——that I have to suspend the House for 15 minutes.
Sitting suspended at 5.08 p.m. and resumed at 5.23 p.m.
The Order of Business has concluded and I now move on to the Topical Issue Debate. I call Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor.
As I was saying before the Dáil was suspended, I raised this issue of the closure of Abbeyleix district hospital on the Topical Issue Debate and I got an unsatisfactory reply from the Minister. As a Member of this House, I would like to know——
(Interruptions).
I raised this issue of the closure of Abbeyleix district hospital on the Topical Issue Debate and I got nothing more than the Minister——
I ask Deputy Fleming to leave the House.
I wish to stay here to make the point that I have used every procedure available to me.
(Interruptions).
I have tabled parliamentary questions, raised the issue on the Topical Issue Debate and raised the matter with the Minister.
Under Standing Order 62, I name Deputy Fleming and propose that he be suspended from the service of the House.
I want the Minister to come to the House to explain this new stealth policy to close the district hospital. He is starting in County Laois and he is closing——
(Interruptions).
He has announced the closure of the district hospital in Abbeyleix and he has now announced the closure of——
(Interruptions).
Old people are living in fear tonight because adequate arrangements have not been put in place. It is unsatisfactory that the Minister will not come into the House to explain his decision.
(Interruptions).
Deputy Fleming has had his fun and stupidity——
(Interruptions).
The Ceann Comhairle had an opportunity to show the dignity of and respect to this House. He should not be so dismissive of a Member of the Opposition and treat him in a backhanded manner like this and say he has had fun. It is no fun for the people of Laois, who will have hospitals closed.
(Interruptions).
The care of these people is being privatised out to private sector organisations.
(Interruptions).