It is proposed to take No. 18, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 5, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Private Members’ business, which shall be No. 147, motion re local and community development programmes, shall also take place after the Order of Business tomorrow and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes on that day. Tomorrow's business after Oral Questions shall be No. 5, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014 - Second Stage (resumed); No. 18, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 5, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage; and No. 147, motion re local and community development programmes.
Order of Business
There is one proposal to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members' business agreed? Agreed.
The programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a universal primary care Bill, which will be the legislative basis for the introduction of universal primary care, particularly general practitioner cover by 2016. The revelations last week indicated that the cost of implementing this commitment, the centrepiece of the health reform programme of the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, would be approximately €332 million. When can we expect the Bill to be introduced? Is the proposal for universal primary care on track for implementation by 2016?
The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, has indicated that legislation will be required to realise the promise to restore discretionary medical cards to those who lost them. The Minister for Finance gave a commitment that those who lost their cards will have them restored. When will the relevant legislation come before the House?
When does the Government intend to move the writ to fill the vacant seats in the constituencies of Roscommon-South Leitrim and Dublin South-West?
The free medical card for children aged under six years will take priority over the primary care Bill. The former will move first, with the latter moving subsequently. If legislation is necessary to change the eligibility basis for medical cards and restore medical cards to those who lost them in the recent review, the matter will be progressed by the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, and Minister of State, Deputy Alex White. The Cabinet discussed this matter yesterday and the Minister and Minister of State will bring proposals to Cabinet within two weeks. The date for any legislation that may be necessary will be decided when the relevant Bills have been drafted.
On the third issue the Deputy raises, a decision had not yet been taken on moving writs for the by-elections.
Tá cúpla ceist agam faoi reachtaíocht atá forfhógartha. When will the Children First Bill 2014, which seeks to provide key child protection measures, return to the Dáil for Report Stage? As the Minister will be aware, it has emerged that the remains of 800 babies were found in convent grounds in Tuam. Will the Government establish, as a matter of urgency, a full public inquiry into this matter and the treatment of women and children in mother and baby homes?
Tá ceist eile agam faoi the Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill. The Minister alluded to the provision of free general practitioner care for children aged under six years, the scheme for which has been promised for next month. Will he confirm that the scheme will be in place next month? When will the Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill proceed to Committee Stage?
The Minister hinted that citizens who were denied medical cards will have their cards restored. Will they have to wait for a month to receive their medical cards?
The Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill has completed Second Stage and is awaiting Committee Stage. The Children First Bill is in a similar position. It has completed Second Stage and Committee Stage is awaited.
The commitment with regard to children aged under six years will be fulfilled by the Minister, as I informed Deputy Martin. If legislation is required to restore medical cards to those who lost them in the review that has been taking place for some months, it will be introduced by the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, and Minister of State, Deputy Alex White. The Minister and Minister of State will, in the first instance, return to government with their proposals in the next two weeks.
The National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Bill has cleared Second Stage and is due to proceed to Committee Stage. Is it the Government's intention to have the Bill clear all Stages in the Dáil before the recess? Should the Ireland strategic investment fund include a major element of social and affordable housing construction as part of its strategy?
Has the Government fixed a date for budget 2015?
Budget 2015 will take place on 14 October 2014, the second Tuesday in October.
Will the Government parties be still together then?
The NewERA Bill has completed Second Stage and will go to committee next week. It is the intention that it will pass all Stages before the recess.
Whether the contents of the strategic investment Bill will allow for social housing building is a matter to be raised by the Deputy on Committee Stage, as is the contents of all Bills.
Under the local government Act, the Minister has directed county council chief executive officers that no nominations will take place this week at their annual general meetings regarding Leader and local development companies.
Hold on a second. This is about promised legislation.
This is promised legislation. It is on the legislation but the local development companies have been left in limbo.
What promised legislation is the Deputy talking about? He should not be abusing the Order of Business.
I am talking about the Local Government Reform Act 2014.
What has that got to do with county managers?
The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, has written to county managers telling them not to fill nominations to local development boards this week.
That cannot be raised on the Order of Business.
Is the Minister so disappointed with the loss of Fine Gael seats in the recent local elections?
I call Deputy Healy-Rae. I will not call Deputy Mattie McGrath in future if he goes on like this.
This is relevant.
What local government legislation are you talking about?
The 2014 Act.
That is passed.
I know it is passed but this is relevant to it.
I call Deputy Healy-Rae.
The people deserve clarity. The Minister has already been asked today but has not clarified the situation with regard to the proposed legislation required to reinstate medical cards that the Government took away from people who were entitled to have them in the first instance. Will he please give a very clear and definitive statement?
Thank you, Deputy. I think the Minister has answered that already.
When will the legislation be brought before the House and when will the people in question get their medical cards back?
Thank you, Deputy. Will the Minister repeat what he said earlier?
What I said was there was a full discussion in the Government yesterday on all the issues relating to medical cards which Deputies have recited for several weeks now.
It has actually been for 18 months.
The Minister, Deputy James Reilly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, will return to the Government with proposals within the next two weeks.
If they do not, they might not have an opportunity to do so.
It is not clear whether legislation is required to restore medical cards to persons who lost them in the review.
The Government took them away. Why can it not give them back?
If legislation is required, the Ministers responsible will propose such legislation to the Government in the next two weeks and it will be ordered for process in the normal way through the Whips.
People do not have the luxury of time.
They will be all deceased.
What is the status of the Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013 which will introduce a new rate of tax for online betting and for betting exchanges? The Irish Bookmakers Association has recently written to Members outlining several concerns with the delay in this legislation.
It has completed Second Stage and amendments are being prepared for Committee Stage. It is hoped all Stages will be completed by the recess.
The Minister will be aware of the difficulties encountered as a result of the recent strike at Aer Lingus. The State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill, due in the House shortly, will compound some of the industrial relations issues there and have an impact on those who are on pensions in the airport sector. When is this legislation, which is currently before the Seanad, expected before the Dáil?
I understand it commenced in the Seanad and is on Committee Stage there today. Having completed the process in the Seanad, it will be before the Dáil with a view to taking all Stages before the recess.
The programme for Government provides for an ambitious political reform agenda, entitled Change Must Start from the Top. Will the Minister share with the House the Standing Orders provided for Topical Issue matters? This morning, I put forward a matter for a Topical Issue with respect to the identification of 800 bodies in a mass grave-----
Deputy, will you resume your seat?
No, I will not resume my seat.
It is not a matter for the Acting Leader but for the Chair. If the Deputy comes to my office afterwards, I will explain it to him.
This morning, I submitted this matter to the Ceann Comhairle but he chose other issues.
So did 25 other Members.
Will you share with me your objective criteria-----
Will you resume your seat and come up to my office afterwards where I will speak to you on this matter?
-----in overlooking two key issues that were submitted today?
Sit down and resume your seat. I will ask you to leave the House if you do not.
A Cheann Comhairle, this is the second week-----
Sit down and resume your seat.
-----that you have prevented this matter from being raised. You are protecting the Government with respect to a key debate that needs to take place in this House.
Resume your seat.
I will not resume my seat.
Leave the House.
Where did Fianna Fáil get him from?
What is the status of the Coroners Bill 2007 which was stalled in the Seanad in 2007? The legislation would assist in a review of how we deal with the matter of inquests into cases of suicide and suspected suicide.
There does not seem to be much movement on this Bill. It was published in 2007 and restored to the Order Paper. I will come back to the Deputy on its current position.
I extend my good wishes to the Minister. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to change Standing Orders to provide for at least a fortnight between different Stages of a Bill. Six months ago, the Taoiseach told me this was about to be introduced but it has not been. When is it proposed to happen?
The programme also states:
We will raise the issue of payment of child benefit in respect of non-resident children at EU level, and seek to have the entitlement modified...
Has this been raised at EU level and has the Government had any success with it?
It is a matter for the Whips to arrange the change to Standing Orders.
The second question is more appropriate for the Minister for Social Protection.
I thought it was the Ceann Comhairle who ruled what was in order and what was not.
Hold it. Commitments in the programme for Government are one matter but we are dealing with promised legislation here. If it requires legislation, then it is grand. Otherwise, the Deputy can submit a parliamentary question. It is the only way to get a proper answer.
Good try, Willie.
When will legislation be introduced to give effect to discretionary provisions of the EU environmental liability directive? Have the heads of the Bill been discussed? If so, when is it likely to be passed?
There is no date yet for publication.