It is proposed to take No. 25, National Lottery Bill 2012 - Second Stage (resumed). Private Members' business shall be No. 90, motion re promissory notes.
Order of Business
There is a concern that the country's best performing and most strategically important hospitals are being hit with massive budget cuts. St. James's Hospital is to face the biggest cut of €9 million and it is hard to understand how it will cope with the pressures given the case mix of that hospital. The allocation appears to be more about getting rid of the deficits of existing hospitals. Where does the community budget within the HSE lie? Sums of €5 million are being taken from Temple Street and Crumlin children's hospitals as well. The health (amendment) Bill is due but it must broaden its compass in terms of eligibility and community issues.
We cannot discuss the contents of a Bill.
Where do we stand with the Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill and the health (amendment) Bill, particularly in terms of the hospitals that will now be cut so dramatically?
The Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill is on Second Stage and the health (amendment) Bill will be taken this session. For the first time, budget allocations for hospitals are based on projected spend rather than on historic budgets, which caused a lot of difficulties in the past. One Bill is on Second Stage and the other is expected this session.
Will the Taoiseach publish the criteria by which those allocations are made?
This can be discussed in some detail on Committee Stage. There was a complete change in the way budgets were allocated. Previously it was done by historic spend and now it will be done on projected spend for the future.
It was not done on historical spend, it was done on case mix.
They were historic budgets asking how much the hospital spent the year before.
It was based on case mix.
We spoke about the Magdalen laundries report earlier today. Can the Taoiseach set out the precise arrangements he envisages for the debate?
That is a matter for the Whips.
The Taoiseach referred to a debate in two weeks' time so could he shed some on light on that?
The arrangements are a matter for the Whips.
I have raised the consolidation and reform of domestic violence legislation several times with the Taoiseach and his colleagues. In 2011, four out of five victims of domestic violence were turned away from crisis refuges because the refuges were full. Can the Taoiseach tell us when the legislation might come forward?
On the Magdalen report, once again I thank Senator McAleese for his report, which is 1,000 pages long and very comprehensive. I think of the 10,000 residents. They know their stories, they have told their stories and their stories have been believed. Many of them lived with an undeserved stigma that was of great disservice to the experience of these women. That stigma has been removed by the report, which was long overdue. As I said to all of those women, I am sorry the State did not act sooner and that this investigation could have been carried out many years ago. I regret in particular that many who suffered have not lived to see this day, when such a report is published, removing that stigma and letting the true facts finally emerge. As the report is comprehensive and contains much new information, I expect we can discuss with the Whips how long should be allocated to the topic and what date in two weeks it should take place. It is a comprehensive report that deserves deep reflection and consideration. We will see it gets that.
What about legislation on domestic violence?
The Department wrote to the Deputy on 5 December that it would be progressed as soon as possible, taking into account consultation and the need to dispose of a number of urgent Bills in the Department, including the EU-IMF programme of financial support for the State. Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, is in discussions with the Department's civil law reform division. I will send the Deputy an update on those discussions.
The Taoiseach is aware of the growing concern, criticism and outright outrage about the plans to dispose of the harvesting rights for Coillte. Is the forestry Bill going to deal with this issue? I understand negotiations are ongoing on the disposal of these harvesting rights.
We can only deal with when the legislation is coming before the House.
There are serious questions about value for money for the State. Is the Bill going to deal with this or will the Taoiseach allow for statements in the House on the plans surrounding the disposal of Coillte's harvesting rights?
When is the forestry Bill due?
The Bill is nearing completion and will be published shortly. The sale of timber has been decided by Government in respect of the sale of State assets to be considered by Government at the appropriate time. Of course there will be opportunities for statements and discussions about that in the House.
Do not do it.
We only grow the trees to sell them.
Do not do it.
We do not grow them for decoration. They are harvested.
Tell that to IMPACT.
When is the legislation to reform or change the county and city enterprise boards due before the House?
Is the Deputy talking about the local enterprise offices?
There was a report on that issue today from the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Bill will be in the House during this session.
In view of further revelations at the weekend about contacts between the Minister for Health and his colleague Ministers-----
Please do not go there again.
We must go there. We only get this information from the media.
The Deputy must ask about promised legislation.
The promised legislation is the health information Bill. Will we have transparency, openness and honesty when dealing with population numbers?
The Deputy can have a long conversation when the Bill is published.
He will not get it in this House.
He will not get it.
The health information Bill is due later this year.
What progress has been made with the minerals development Bill to modernise and consolidate all mineral development legislation? Has the Taoiseach any plans to introduce in a criminal justice Bill, on an independent police authority, to remove Government interference and the current Minister's interference in the day-to-day running of An Garda Síochána?
Is there promised legislation on an independent police authority?
The day-to-day running of An Garda Síochána is a matter for the Garda Commissioner and is not interfered with in any way. There were some who said we should have driving permits for people who are over the limit but that is another matter. The minerals development Bill is complex but it is due later in the session.
In the context of the Finance Bill and the changes announced in eligibility for the farm assist scheme, does the Minister for Finance intend to re-examine these measures? If they go ahead as planned, they will have implications for those working in the rural social schemes, with many people losing their jobs. There are 18,200 in receipt of farm assist in Mayo.
That matter can be raised by the Deputy when the Finance Bill is published. It is due next week.
In view of the ever increasing numbers on local authority housing lists, what is the situation with the housing Bill? Have the heads of the Bill been approved and when is it likely to come before the House?
The Central Bank (consolidation) Bill has been on the list of promised legislation for some time. I presume the heads of the Bill have been discussed and approved by Cabinet so when will it come before the House?
The heads of the housing Bill are at an advanced stage and will come before the Government soon. It is a little while away but there has been a lot of work done to finalise it.
The Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill is currently on Second Stage and must be completed before there can be a consolidation Bill for the Central Bank.
I want to ask the Taoiseach for clarification on promised legislation. Have the heads of the Bill to provide for a levy for the repair of homes damaged by pyrite been agreed by Cabinet and when can we expect publication?
The heads have not yet been cleared but I expect that they will shortly come before Government for clearance. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, had been intensively involved on this and I expect results in the near future.
Would the Taoiseach expect its publication this session?
It will be published as soon as it is cleared by Government. It will then be discussed here. As Deputy Shortall will be aware, it is an issue that affects many.