I have notice from Senator Ross that, on the motion for the Adjournment of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter:
The need for the Minister for the Environment to make a special amenity area order for the Dargle Valley.
I also received notice from Senator Upton of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to ensure that the practice of accommodating homeless children in bed and breakfast accommodation be ended; to outline the cost of this practice and the number of children who have been accommodated in this manner.
I also received notice from Senator Ó Cuív of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Agriculture and Food to direct Teagasc to transfer their headquarters from Dublin to Athenry in County Galway.
I regard the matters raised by Senators Ross and Upton as suitable for discussion on the Adjournment and they will be taken at the conclusion of business.
I regret that I have had to rule the matter raised by Senator Ó Cuív as not suitable for discussion on the Adjournment on the grounds of lack of ministerial responsibility.
Before I call the Leader of the House, may I say, as I mentioned yesterday, that it is not the usual practice for matters which are discussed or decisions which are taken at Committee on Procedure and Privileges to be brought before the House except in circumstances where a draft report is submitted for adoption. However, in view of the widespread dissatisfaction that was expressed in such strong terms by so many Senators yesterday and the gravity of the matter, I am going to break with precedent and, for the information of the House, outline the developments that took place at yesterday's meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
After consideration of the letter of 6 May from the Minister for Finance requesting the use of the Seanad Chamber for the meetings of the Special Committee on the Finance Bill, 1992, and the implications of his statement in the Dáil on Thursday, 30 April, the committee adjourned until 6.30 p.m. and I, with the Leader of the House, sought a meeting with the Minister for Finance to further discuss this matter. The Minister clarified that he acted in good faith in the Dáil on Thursday last when referring to the Special Committee meeting in the Seanad and that he had spoken in the full understanding that all the proper channels had been followed and that the consent of the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges had already been obtained. We then met with the Government Chief Whip who also had been misinformed as to the proper procedure in the matter. The Minister and the Government Whip apologised for the slight, albeit unintentional, to the Seanad and emphasised that it was never the intention to pre-empt a decision of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. The Government Whip will be issuing a letter of apology to the committee.
I was also assured that the proposal was a once off venture and that there would be no recurrence of the difficulty in relation to future Finance Bills or other legislation. I reported the facts back to the committee. In view of the explanations which were given and the importance of the Finance Bill, the committee decided to accede to the Minister's request.