Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Jul 2012

Vol. 772 No. 2

Order of Business

The Taoiseach

It is proposed to take No. 10a, motion re Membership of Committee; No. 1 - Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2011 - amendment from the Seanad; No. 2 - Credit Guarantee Bill 2012 - amendment from the Seanad; No. 18 - Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 6 - Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 - Order for Second Stage, Second and Subsequent Stages; and No. 19 - Personal Insolvency Bill 2012 - Second Stage (resumed).

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. and shall adjourn not later than 10 p.m.; No. 10a shall be decided without debate; Report and Final Stages of No. 18 shall be taken today and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 6 p.m., by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform; Second and Remaining Stages of No. 6 shall be taken today and the following arrangements shall apply: (i) the proceedings on the Second Stage shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7.20 p.m.; the opening speeches of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Technical Group, who shall be called upon in that order and who may share their time, shall not exceed ten minutes in each case; the speech of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes; and such members may share their time; a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; (ii) the proceedings on the Committee and Remaining Stages shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 7.30 p.m. by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government; Private Members’ Business which shall be No. 60 - motion re health budget (resumed) shall be taken on the conclusion of No. 6 or at 7.30 p.m., whichever is the later, and shall, if not previously concluded be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes.

An Ceann Comhairle

There are five proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. agreed to?

Deputy Gerry Adams

It is not agreed. I very much welcome the fact the Minister for Health will make a personal statement this evening but no time has been set aside to discuss this. Will the Taoiseach set time aside to do that, so we can scrutinise what has been said?

The Taoiseach

The Minister for Health will make a personal statement at 9.55 p.m. under Standing Orders. Personal statements are personal statements.

Deputy Timmy Dooley

That will be in time for "Oireachtas Report" on Friday night.

Deputy Gerry Adams

I thank the Taoiseach for giving me the time at which the Minister will make the statement but that is not what I asked him. I asked him if he would set time aside for us to discuss whatever he may say.

The Taoiseach

If the Deputy comes in here and says he was never a member of the army council of the IRA and if he wants to make a personal statement, I would be happy to accommodate him.

Deputy Gerry Adams

Is it possible-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Sorry, we are not having a debate on this issue.

Deputy Gerry Adams

Is it possible for the Taoiseach to consider for one second that people listening to this debate have intelligence and that when I ask him if he will set time aside for me, as a duly mandated Member of this Dáil, to discuss these issues, it has nothing to do with any other issue except my entitlement as the leader of this party, which is here with a mandate the same as the Taoiseach-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Sorry, Deputy, will you please resume your seat?

Deputy Gerry Adams

-----to want to scrutinise a very serious issue?

The Taoiseach

The Standing Orders of the House allow for personal statements. That is what they are - personal statements. The Minister for Health is availing of the approval of the Ceann Comharile to make a personal statement in regard to this matter.

Deputy Micheál Martin

In regard to the order of the House for today, we have written to the Taoiseach asking that Members be allowed to ask questions of the Minister. It is an issue of public interest and a very topical one. I am sure the Taosieach would agree that if the shoe was on the other foot and it applied to a member of another party in government, the very least that would be required would be that questions would be answered and points clarified. Our Whip was in touch with the Chief Whip and we should be facilitated in order to ensure the issue can be put to bed this evening. I would also respectfully say that 9.55 p.m. is a most curious time to have the debate.

An Ceann Comhairle

Can we get this straight? Any Member is entitled to apply to the Ceann Comhairle of the day to make a personal explanation. The Minister in question applied to me and I have granted that request. The Standing Order is quite clear. If following on from that, Members wish to pursue the matter further, there is a method for doing so. They can table a motion and there can be a debate. Let us get this straight. What has been asked for and what has been granted is time for a personal explanation and that is it.

Is the proposal that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 10a, motion re Membership of Committee, without debate, agreed to? Agreed. Is proposal for dealing with No. 18, Report and Final Stages of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 6, Second and Remaining Stages of the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members’ business agreed to? Agreed.

Deputy Micheál Martin

In answers to recent parliamentary questions, there has been confirmation that there will be increased demands on the disability services after this school year and that an extra 650 places will be required. Every year, demographic funding has been provided to ensure that children who have intellectual disabilities can get places after the school term has ended. No such guarantee is in place this year. Families are being notified within the next few days as to whether or not there will be places for them.

The Taoiseach has indicated that the HSE governance Bill will not be published until the autumn. The education and training boards Bill may provide a facility to correct this issue, which is causing grave distress to families throughout the country.

A child who does not have an intellectual disability would be guaranteed a school place. People with intellectual disabilities are being deprived of places and their situations are being placed in grave doubt and uncertainty.

The Taoiseach

A great deal of work is ongoing in respect of the HSE governance Bill. I expect it will be published in this session. The education and training boards Bill will be published in the next session.

Deputy Micheál Martin

Can the Taoiseach give any guarantees to families?

The Taoiseach

That is a matter for legislation.

Deputy Gerry Adams

When will the Government publish the freedom of information (amendment) Bill? We are seeing many reasons for a need for openness and transparency. It is one of the commitments given in the programme for Government, although most of those seem to have been forgotten. Will this legislation be fast-tracked and when does the Taoiseach expect it to be published?

The Taoiseach

The Bill is listed for later this year. Given the scale of work to be done with regard to the requirements of the memorandum of understanding, however, it will probably be published early next year.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

My question is on the strategic infrastructure Bill. The new Saorview service will not be available in many parts of the country until much later than other parts. Furthermore, RTE has been causing periodic outages of transmission while the service is being upgraded. This is often done without notice to viewers and is causing much disquiet to families and providers.

An Ceann Comhairle

Which Bill covers this matter, Deputy?

Deputy Mattie McGrath

The strategic infrastructure Bill.

An Ceann Comhairle

Strategic infrastructure Bill?

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Mr. Gay Byrne has a role in this too, as an adviser on behalf of the Government. We are entitled to see the television news. We want to see the Minister for Health tonight.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, I think you have the wrong Bill. Is there a strategic infrastructure Bill?

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

I hope I am not in trouble because, unusually, I also want to ask about the strategic infrastructure Bill.

An Ceann Comhairle

You are never in trouble, Deputy.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

I am glad the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is also in the Chamber. What is happening to the farming community is atrocious. Only one third of silage has been cut.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are you seeking a debate, Deputy?

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

No. I just want to hear what the Minister has to say.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Minister may not speak on the Order of Business.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

Can the Taoiseach or the Minister say anything about this matter? In the past, compensation has been paid to farmers.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, I believe you have submitted a Topical Issue on this matter.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

I did not get called.

An Ceann Comhairle

Well, you never know. Keep trying.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

Something has to be done. The Government is in charge of the country. Compensation was granted to farmers in the past. How is it proposed to help them now?

Deputy Joan Collins

Last Thursday, I asked about legislation to deal with the X case issue. The review group was scheduled to bring a report to Government in July. The Minister, who did not have the information last week, undertook to come back to me on the matter. He has not done so. Over last weekend, media coverage indicated that the report of the review group will not be brought to the Government in July. Can the Taoiseach update the House on this matter?

The Taoiseach

The Minister will respond directly to the Deputy on this matter which she raised last week. The inquiry has been sent to the Department and the Deputy will be responded to directly.

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan

Two important items of legislation have been promised. The proceeds of crime Bill is urgently awaited. Have the heads of the Bill been discussed and is it likely to come before the House in early days?

We have been waiting for the money laundering Bill for a long time, since the Opposition were in Government, in fact. Is that Bill likely to come before the House in the near future?

The Taoiseach

The proceeds of crime Bill has been in preparation for quite some time. Consultations are going on with the Criminal Assets Bureau on the matter. I do not have date for its publication. Nor do I have a fixed date for the money laundering Bill.

Deputy Martin Heydon

In light of the imminent publication of betting legislation by the Minister for Finance which, we hope, will happen before the summer break, can the Taoiseach provide an update on the work of the Minister for Justice on legislation to modernise the law on gambling and to comprehensively revise our gambling laws?

The Taoiseach

A gambling control Bill is scheduled for next year. A broad range of discussions is required with regard to it.

Deputy Sandra McLellan

When will the national monuments Bill be brought before the House?

The Taoiseach

The Bill is listed for publication early next year. I hope it will be a monument in its own right. The matter has been raised by Deputies on the Opposition side of the House for as long as I have been here.

Deputy Sandra McLellan

And we are still waiting.

The Taoiseach

It will be published early next year.