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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Mar 2014

Vol. 834 No. 1

Order of Business

It is proposed to take No. 8, motion re referral to select committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Ireland's participation in an EDA Category B project on Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Manual Neutralisation Techniques; No. 9, motion re Standing Orders 23 and 27A; No. 1, ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill 2013 - amendments from the Seanad; No. 20, Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Bill 2013 - Second Stage (resumed); and No. 21, statements on the Government's priorities for the year ahead (resumed). It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 8 and 9 shall be decided without debate. Private Members' business shall be No. 145, motion re Gateway scheme.

Tomorrow's business after Oral Questions shall be No. 22, statements on the supply of social housing and the Government's homelessness policy. The following arrangements shall apply in relation to No. 22: the statement 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, shall not exceed 15 minutes in each case and such Members may share their time, the statement of each other Member called upon shall not exceed ten minutes in each case and such Members may share their time, and a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes.

There are two proposals to put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with Nos. 8 and 9 agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 22 tomorrow agreed?

On a point of clarification, will there be an Order of Business tomorrow?

This relates to the proceedings beforehand.

The proposal is agreed.

I note to the Tánaiste that during the last debate I mentioned to the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, that while he was no fan of the North Korean way of doing things, there might have been a time during his student days that the Tánaiste had a sneaking regard for the activities in that country.

Deputy Martin had a few sneaking regards himself.

Not for North Korea. I question the necessity to resume statements on Government priorities for the year ahead. We have not had a discussion on real priorities. Everything else has been put back, including funding of third level education in respect of which the report has been buried in the HEA. The report on small schools has been buried within the Department and universal health insurance has been mothballed by way of a Green Paper which we will not see for a long time. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, did not even mention the SME crisis last week until Morgan Kelly raised it this week. Suddenly, SMEs represent a real crisis and the Central Bank should look at the issue in terms of debt. We are living in a parallel universe where we were meant to be talking about all of these issues last week, but they did not get discussed. Papers have not been circulated in advance of these discussions.

Why is it thought necessary to again have statements on the Government's priorities for the year ahead given that we had them last week? It is a charade. There is no real hunger from anybody on this side of the House for it. Is there a problem with legislation? I understand it was said at the Whips' meeting that there is a logjam or bottleneck and legislation is not coming through. Last week, we had no legislation and this week it is minimal. We have Second Stage of the Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Bill and only amendments from the Seanad to the ESB (Electronic Communications Networks) Bill. Next week, the Dáil will not sit. For a full three-week period, the Government will have had no substantive legislative programme. What is happening?

What struck me was that there was not even a debate. The Minister read a statement and we read statements.

What statements?

Statements on the Government's priorities in the year ahead. We have had a whole week of this and are now into a second. It is not very edifying and is a distraction from getting down to real business as opposed to the Government coming in and reading out whatever happens to be the flavour of the day and then leaving.

A considerable number of Members want to speak on this debate.

That is why it is tabled for discussion today. I find it remarkable that Deputies Martin and Adams are complaining there was no debate. If there was no debate, it is their fault.

The Minister was not even here half the time but just read a script and left.

This item is on the agenda because we agreed that the Government would set out its priorities for the year and provide an opportunity for the Opposition to critique what Government is doing and planning and offer an alternative.

The Government did not do that.

That was not done. The Minister for Social Protection came in and did not even speak about social protection.

What emerged from last week's discussion was a manifest failure of the Opposition to put up any kind of a debate, offer a decent critique or set out alternatives.

The Tánaiste was not even here and does not know what we said.

Maybe if we give the Opposition an opportunity again this week, we might see some improvement from that side of the House.

We are not going to waste our time this week.

I raise the public sector ethics Bill. Ethics is missing in many areas. The Taoiseach told the House on 24 April 2013 that he expected a substantial contribution from the leadership of the banks. Yesterday, we were told that Richie Boucher is again on €843,000. There has not been a single cent reduction in his pay despite what the Taoiseach said to the House last year that there would be a substantial contribution.

We are not debating this. This is the Order of Business, as the Deputy knows well.

Does the Tánaiste believe the Minister for Finance should vote against the pay package of the CEO given the legislation on ethics in the public sector?

That is not on the Order of Business. It is totally out of order. I call Deputy Healy-Rae.

I am asking in relation to ethics legislation.

What does that have to do with voting on something?

It is really important. Public interest directors have been appointed to the banks.

It may be very important. If so, the Deputy should put down a Topical Issue or a parliamentary question.

We have a Taoiseach who was either misled or who misled the House in saying the leadership of the banks would take a reduction last year. We spend a huge amount of money on reports.

Resume your seat.

I will surely, but I would like the Chair to offer the Tánaiste the opportunity to respond.

He is not answering something that is completely out of order on the Order of Business. Deputy Doherty knows that as well as I do.

My question is on the proposed Bill on tax concessions.

To what Bill is the Deputy referring?

I want the Tánaiste to elaborate on it.

It is related to tax concessions for disabled persons.

What is the Title of the Bill?

It has been reported that the Government will introduce legislation to change the current regulations relating to tax concessions for disabled persons who wish to purchase motor vehicles.

Is legislation promised?

I am not aware of any such Bill.

What is the current position regarding No. 86 on the legislative programme, the planning Bill, the purpose of which is to provide for the implementation of planning recommendations in the report of the Mahon tribunal and other matters? Given the concerns expressed during and prior to the Mahon tribunal, is it envisaged that the Bill will come before the House at an early date?

No. 90 on the list is the insurance Bill, the purpose of which is to provide for the continuing regulation and supervision of the insurance and re-insurance business. Given the need for a viable insurance sector and the necessity to provide insurance cover to various businesses and households, this is important legislation. Has the Cabinet discussed the Bill and, if so, have the heads been approved? When will the legislation come before the House?

On legislation arising from the Mahon tribunal, I do not yet have a date for the planning Bill, the purpose of which is to provide for the implementation of planning recommendations in the report of the Mahon tribunal and other matters. The Mahon tribunal also recommended legislation to deal with the issue of lobbying. As I informed the House on Leaders' Questions, the relevant Bill is being progressed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, and is expected in the second quarter of this year.

At this stage, it is not possible to indicate a date for the insurance Bill.

Tá dhá cheist agam faoi reachtaíocht atá fógartha, the regulation of lobbying Bill, le do thoil, and the health reform Bill. The Tánaiste referred to the regulation of lobbying Bill. Given the ongoing controversy arising from revelations about the Rehab Group and the failure thus far of its former chief executive and Fine Gael Party strategist to appear before the Committee of Public Accounts, when will the legislation be published? In light of this ongoing scandal, will the Government commit to expediting the Bill's passage through the Oireachtas?

The purpose of the health reform Bill is to put in place new structures for the health service, as set out in future care, and to disestablish the Health Service Executive. This morning, there are 300 patients on trolleys across the State, the highest number of whom are in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, where the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation-----

Deputies may not make statements on the Order of Business.

-----is calling for the major disaster protocol to be invoked. When can we expect the Bill before the House? Given that €5 billion has been taken out of the health service, is it not obvious that the Government's health plans are actively undermining its stated goal of achieving equal access to health care?

The scheme of the registration of lobbyists Bill was considered by the relevant committee. The Minister has received a copy of the committee's report and it is intended to publish the Bill in the second quarter of the year. Hopefully, it will be dealt with in the House before the summer.

Policy issues on the health reform Bill are being formulated. Publication of this complex legislation is expected this session.

On the health (amendment) Bill, the Tánaiste will be aware of difficulties that have arisen in recent months with the ambulance service in the north east. Two incidents in Drogheda related to response times and more recently a wheel fell off a stationary ambulance at a junction of the old N1 within the confines-----

To which Bill is the Deputy referring?

The health (amendment) Bill.

The health (amendment) Bill is not about wheels falling off ambulances.

Will the Minister for Health consider commissioning a thorough review of the rolling stock of the ambulance fleet to establish the mileage and age of vehicles and assess the serious hazards involved for patients and staff?

Publication of the Health Act 2007 (amendment) Bill, the purpose of which is to extend the remit of the Health Information and Quality Authority, is expected this year.

According to the legislative programme, publication of the gambling control Bill, the purpose of which is to update and consolidate the law on betting and gambling, is expected in early 2015. Given the high level of advertising and marketing of gambling on television, telephone apps and so forth and the fact that the problem of gambling is becoming increasingly acute, with wives and partners of gambling addicts picketing betting shops and pleading with the various companies involved to put a stop to the misery caused by gambling addiction, this legislation should be front-loaded and a tax imposed on the turnover from betting.

The gambling Bill is expected early next year.

The House faces into a second week in which the Government will engage in back-slapping and we will not debate substantive legislation. Last June, on the Order of Business, the Taoiseach informed me that the heads of the children first Bill had been passed by the Cabinet and the only reason the legislation had not reached the floor of the House was that legislative pressures were preventing it from being introduced in the House before the summer. He promised that the Bill would be dealt with after the summer recess. The autumn session has come and gone and we are in the month of March. Despite repeated promises to introduce it, the legislation is still awaited. Will the Tánaiste give a clear and definitive timeframe for the introduction of the Bill?

The information and tracing Bill has been repeatedly promised by the Government. When will this important legislation come before the House?

Statements on social housing have been scheduled for tomorrow. Would it not be more appropriate for the Government to introduce the promised housing (miscellaneous provisions) Bill to deal with the many anomalies in the sector and the problems many people are experiencing as they seek to be placed on the social housing waiting list?

Significant progress has been made in drafting the children first Bill. The relevant committee produced a substantial report of approximately 700 pages in length, which must be considered. It is intended that the Bill will be published in this session.

The second Bill to which the Deputy referred will be published later this year. The housing legislation to which he referred is also due in this session.

The purpose of the health information Bill is to provide a legislative framework for the better governance of health information and initiatives, including data matching and health information resources for use in the health service. When is the Bill expected to be published?

I do not have a date for the publication of that Bill.

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