It is proposed to take No. 23, Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 - Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 9 p.m. tonight and shall adjourn not later than 10.30 p.m.; and in the event a division is in progress at the time fixed for taking Private Members' business, which shall be No. 52, Public Sector Management (Appointment of Senior Members of the Garda Síochána) Bill 2014 – Second Stage, and which shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes on Wednesday, 18 June, 2014, Standing Order 121(3) shall not apply and Private Members’ business shall adjourn after 90 minutes. Tomorrow’s business after Oral Questions shall be No. 24, Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages.
Order of Business
There are two proposals to be put to the House. Is the proposal for dealing with the late sitting agreed? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with Private Members' business agreed? Agreed.
The programme for Government has a section dealing with political reform and the Government indicates "we will legislate on the issue of cabinet confidentiality". The Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013 has a provision at section 86 precluding an Oireachtas committee from seeking evidence about Cabinet decisions and discussions. Some may say this is in accordance with Article 28 of the Constitution but section 71 of the Act, for some reason, also precludes questions being asked about Cabinet discussions. This is the Act used in setting up the banking inquiry. For some reason the Government specifically inserted a provision to prevent questions being asked about Cabinet discussions, which one might think is central to many of the issues, and to which many people would like to contribute. Was this intended in the programme for Government when it stated "we will legislate on the issue of cabinet confidentiality"? Will the Taoiseach outline what was meant by the inclusion of that provision in the programme for Government or why was it inserted?
We cannot have that debate.
I asked this before and the Taoiseach stated he would come back to me. He was not quite sure how it ended up in the programme for Government but it is there and it is a promise to legislate.
When can we expect universal primary care legislation? With the discretionary medical card decision, there was a promise, even as late as today, that the 1970 health care legislation would be an issue. I do not agree with the Taoiseach's analysis as discretionary medical cards were being given out for 30 or 40 years anyway. Be that as it may, we have been told this only relates to undue hardship and legislation would be required to deal with medical issues in the granting of discretionary medical cards. That was promised but it was not promised in today's statement. Will the Taoiseach provide an update on the commitment to legislate for people having access to medical cards on the basis of medical hardship?
I dealt with the question of Cabinet confidentiality before. This is a result of enthusiastic discussion and I indicated before that it is not possible to implement legislation relating to Cabinet confidentiality.
It is in the programme for Government.
There were two or three other items in the programme for Government, such as the upward-only rent review matter, which when we examined them we found serious constitutional issues. In respect of the medical cards-----
Sorry, to deal finally with the matter of Cabinet confidentiality-----
We are not having a debate on the matter.
It will not be happening.
Will it be taken out of the programme for Government? Is the Taoiseach saying he has no idea why it is there?
It is in the programme for Government but as I indicated before-----
You have no idea. You have no clue why it ended up in there. That is extraordinary.
I answered that question.
Deputy Martin is talking about people who do not have a clue. He did not have a clue either.
The Deputy should speak through the Chair.
I answered it before.
You did not deal with it before.
I did.
You smirked and looked into the sky.
I answered the question before to the effect that it is not possible to legislate for Cabinet-----
Does Deputy Adams have a question?
The Taoiseach has no idea-----
Stay quiet.
I answered the question before. I stated it is not possible to do it.
It is in the programme for Government. It is a very serious issue and we do not get any answers in here.
The second-----
Table a parliamentary question.
Tá dhá cheist agam, ceann maidir le Baile Uí Mhurchú. Mar atá a fhios ag an Taoiseach, dhá mhí ó shin mar fhreagra ar cheist a chur mé, dúirt an Taoiseach go raibh sé tiomanta de bhunú rún uilepháirtí ar an cheist seo. Gheall sé go raibh sé chun rún a dhréachtú agus a chur i láthair. Mar is eol don Taoiseach, dúirt Rúnaí Stáit na mBreataine, Theresa Villiers, nach raibh sí chun fiosrúcháin a bhunú maidir le marú 11 duine i mBaile Uí Mhurchú i 1971. Tá sé in am rún a thabhairt os comhair na Dála agus tacaíocht a thabhairt do na teaghlaigh. An tseachtain seo caite dúirt an Taoiseach arís go raibh sé ar intinn aige rún a fhoilsiú an tseachtain seo. Tuigim go mbeidh teaghlaigh Bhaile Uí Mhurchú i láthair sa Dáil don rún agus beidh an Taoiseach ag cur fáilte roimh na teaghlaigh. An féidir leis an Taoiseach níos mó eolas a thabhairt dom maidir leis seo?
The programme for Government promised to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities and to allocate resources accordingly. In February of last year, the Government scrapped the mobility allowance scheme and the motorised transport grants which were found not to comply with the Equal Status Act 2000 and the Disability Act 2005. The Ombudsman recommended that the scope of these schemes be widened and the criteria of the Equal Status Act 2000 be applied positively. Instead, however, the Government scrapped the schemes. The Government committed 16 months ago to legislate for a new scheme because now it is actively discriminating against citizens with disabilities. Where stands this commitment and where is the promised legislation?
In response to the Deputy's second question, the health (transport support) Bill is due later in the year and will deal with the matter in respect of disability.
Maidir leis an gcéad cheist a chuir an Teachta orm, bhí sé ar intinn agam é sin a chur os comhair an Rialtais inniu, ach tháinig mé ar ais go déanach oíche aréir – bhí mé san Liobáin leis na saighdiúirí ansin. Tabharfaidh mé isteach é an chéad seachtain eile agus cuirfidh mé eolas chuig an Teachta agus don Fhreasúra faoin rún i dtreo is go mbeidh cead ag muintir Bhaile Uí Mhurchú a bheith anseo i rith na díospóireachta. Tabharfaidh mé eolas don Teachta freisin maidir leis an am a bheidh an díospóireacht sa Dáil. Tá a fhios ag an Teachta go mbeidh mé ag bualadh leis agus leis an leas príomh-aire an tseachtain seo chugainn, sílim, ag 6.30 p.m. Beidh sé curtha os comhair cruinniú an Rialtais an tseachtain seo chugainn agus tabharfaidh mé eolas don Fhreasúra maidir leis an rún agus an t-am a bheidh ann don díospóireacht.
An mbeidh seans againn-----
Beidh cinnte. Ní bheidh sé críochnaithe nuair a thabharfaidh mé don Teachta é.
The Taoiseach may be aware that rent supplement was prohibited by ministerial order during the regeneration of Ballymun. This has caused great hardship to families that needed to be near schools, family and friends as well as local supports. As the regeneration has run its course will this ministerial order be lifted or even addressed under the next housing Bill?
That is a parliamentary question. The Deputy needs to put down a parliamentary question.
Will it be included in the next housing Bill, the second part of the housing Bill?
When is the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 due?
That Bill is being taken today.
It is under consideration at the moment.
It will be mentioned in the course of the debate on the Bill which is before the Dáil.
What is the position of the Central Bank (consolidation) Bill? Banks are not lending to farmers or anybody else. They are not treating people fairly. We need that Bill to be introduced.
Farmers had to come to Dublin on a fine day for working to protest outside Agriculture House at the lack of engagement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, over the blackguarding they are getting from the meat factories. I raise this under the Johnstown Castle Agricultural College (Amendment) Bill 2014. If the farmers cannot farm they will have to go into amenities and environmental programmes.
The Johnstown Castle Agricultural College (Amendment) Bill 2014 went through the Oireachtas last week.
It went through last week.
Yes.
That Bill has gone for the presidential signature.
Good. Hopefully the President will sign it.
What was the other Bill to which the Deputy referred?
I said the farmers will be forced to go into-----
The Deputy need not mind the farmers.
They cannot get a decent price for their products.
The Deputy will have to deal with that as a question to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Central Bank (consolidation) Bill is due next year.
With regard to the Local Government Reform Bill 2013, will the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, propose any amendments to compensate for the abolition of the town councils whereby town planners, town engineers, town clerks are all leaving a huge void in local government?
The Deputy can table an amendment himself.
What has the Taoiseach got to say about that?
He has nothing to say about it.
There is chaos around the country following what his Minister did.
As the Deputy is aware, municipal authorities will, I hope, do a very good job dealing with the programmes for development in their respective areas.
They have been abolished.
They have been abolished.
The Taoiseach did away with them.
Killarney municipal authority will be great.
The Taoiseach has left them in a bad way.
I am sure the Deputy’s family name will contribute successfully to it.
I refer to the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013, which makes provision for the Oireachtas joint committee undertaking a banking inquiry. Will the Taoiseach confirm what he said a few days ago, that there will be no whip imposed at any stage and in any-----
That is not on the Order of Business.
It is.
The Bill has gone through. Is the Deputy asking about promised legislation?
No. This is not concluded business.
Of course it is. We are dealing with promised legislation. The Bill has gone through.
We are in a democracy.
The Deputy should put down a parliamentary question.
The Taoiseach said there would be removal of the whip in regard to the banking inquiry because he wants a full, open, transparent and honest inquiry. Unless the starting point of this inquiry is without the whip-----
The Deputy is ignoring the Chair. Would he please resume his seat?
There were two amendments to the motion the Government put forward and the Taoiseach whipped his own party and the Labour Party to put down those two amendments which are highly relevant to the openness, honesty, truthfulness and transparency of this inquiry. I am putting it to the Taoiseach if he is a man of courage and leadership he will do exactly that, nothing more and nothing less.
Would the Deputy please resume his seat?
I will.
Thank you. That is not a matter for the Order of Business.
It is. The Taoiseach said this to the nation on television and in the media. He should answer.
I call Deputy Ó Fearghaíl. We are not having a debate on the banking inquiry.
The Taoiseach has the initiative to answer that question.
Yes.
The Deputy must stay quiet or else he will leave the House.
The Taoiseach should get those two amendments passed. He should re-present them to the House. They are on the Order Paper.
No doubt yesterday’s flying visit by the Taoiseach to Lebanon was appreciated.
It is shambolic.
Where stands the defence (amendment) (discipline) Bill 2013 that has been promised for some time? To follow up on points raised by my party leader, Deputy Martin, in respect of the Government’s announcement today about discretionary medical cards, does the Taoiseach envisage any legislation on medical cards being brought before the House in the near future?
The defence (amendment) (discipline) Bill 2013 is promised for next year. I dealt with the discretionary medical cards earlier. They were removed on an administrative basis and will be restored on an administrative basis.
What is the position of the technological universities Bill 2014 which proposes to amend previous legislation in respect of Dublin Institute of Technology, DIT, and the Higher Education Authority, HEA?
What progress has there been on the gambling control Bill 2013? Have the heads of the Bill been discussed or approved? When will those Bills come before the House?
We gave authorisation to the Minister for Education and Science in the past couple of weeks on elements of the technological universities Bill 2014. I will supply the Deputy with up to date information on that. It was cleared by Cabinet.
The gambling control Bill 2013 will come before the House early next year.
In respect of discretionary medical cards-----
We are not going to have a discussion on medical cards.
In respect of a percentage of medical cards will legislation be necessary to restore them?
Legislation was promised.
We have already dealt with that issue.
I have said they were removed on an administrative basis and will be restored on an administrative basis.
Legislation was promised.
Legislation will be needed to restore a percentage of them.
We are not having a debate. We have already dealt with the issue on Leaders’ Questions.