I wish to raise a specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration. It is that the Government immediately take steps to ensure that Clover Meats get adequate funds to protect the industry.
Request Under Standing Order 29.
I have given careful consideration to the matter raised by Senator Lanigan and I do not consider it to be a matter contemplated by Standing Order 29. I regret, therefore, I must rule it out of order.
While I accept your decision, this is a matter of grave concern not alone to the south-east but to Ireland as a whole. The ACC — an agency set up to protect Irish farmers — reneged on a written commitment given on 11 September 1984 to give £1.27 million in working capital to Clover Meats. As a result of the non-payment of that £1.27 million, 900 people are in grave danger of losing their jobs. Cheques were returned from the bank last week. This business has a turnover of over £100 million. It will have a disastrous effect on agriculture in the south-east. Unfortunately, the effects will be felt right throughout the country. In employment terms, there are 900 employees with an average wage of £200 a week. We are talking about a wage bill of £180,000 a week. As a result of a decision by the ACC the working capital was not forthcoming. Other banks had made commitments——
Senator Lanigan knows he is out of order.
I accept your decision. I hope what I have said will be taken up by the appropriate Minister so that action will be taken to save this vital industry.
I totally accept the Chair's ruling. Coming from the constituency where 160 jobs will be lost, I appreciate Senator Lanigan's concern.
This is not in order.
I accept your ruling. I want to reiterate what Senator Lanigan has said. I suggest that Senator Lanigan might avail of this evening's opportunity to raise it instead of the motion on the Adjournment. It is also important to put on the record of the House the speed of the Minister for Finance in arranging a meeting with the ACC this afternoon on this subject.
Now that Senator Ferris has so kindly referred to our motion, may I ask the Leader of the House at what time we are taking this important motion?
On the Order of the House's business I had, of course, been presumptuous enough to think that the debate on the Criminal Justice Bill might commence at about 2.40 p.m. That did not happen. Normally we would expect to take Private Members' time from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. My hope still is that we will be sufficiently advanced with our business that we will be able to take a break from 5.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. in order to refresh ourselves and then deal with Private Members' Business — whatever it may be — from 6.30 until 8 p.m.
I will not need any refreshment to take Item No. 6.