Today's Order of Business is Items 1 and 2. Item 1 will be taken until 12.30 p.m. Item 2 will be taken between 12.30 p.m. and 3 p.m. We will return to Item 1 at 3 p.m. Matters on the Adjournment will be taken at the conclusion of business.
Order of Business.
Could I ask the Leader of the House to secure time to debate the increase in telephone charges and also if he has spoken with the Minister for Health to secure time to debate the Kilkenny incest report?
I would like to congratulate the Leader of the House on the transparent way in which the House has worked in a spirit of great co-operation this session. However, I support Senator Taylor-Quinn's request for a debate on the telephone charges, a request which was unfortunately not responded to — I am sure by oversight — by the Leader of the House yesterday.
I would also like to ask the Leader whether we could have a debate on the status of the visit of Mother Teresa to this House, because I believe the Government has refused to give her an audience here.
Could I please correct the Senator? It is not a matter for the Government, it is a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. In view of the Senator's great post-decision interest in this matter, did he ask any of his party's three excellent members on Committee on Procedure and Privileges about the matter then? If he did not then I suggest that he now ask one or all three of those members about the decision-making process.
Thank you a Chathaoirligh. I supported as did all sides of this House——
The Committee on Procedure and Privileges made the decision. It is the body which makes such decisions and it is comprised of members of all the parties. The decision was unanimous. I would not like to think the Senator was being mischievious.
I am simply asking for a report from the Leader of the House on the refusal of the Government to give an audience to Mother Teresa in this House.
It is not a matter for the Leader of the House.
We are entitled to know why this House will insult Mother Teresa by not inviting her here. That is unacceptable to a large number of Members of this House.
It is a matter for Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
We introduced Standing Orders to allow someone like Mother Teresa to talk to the House and she is now being refused permission.
You are ignoring the Chair, Senator Ross. I ask the Senator to resume his seat. Keep calm please. Your party's Committee on Procedure and Privileges members are excellent. I ask you to go back to them in the spirit of co-operation.
The spirit of co-operation is important, but it is more important that we hear Mother Teresa in this House, a woman of international fame and renown.
The Committee on Procedure and Privileges has made a decision.
I support the request for a debate on Telecom Éireann's increased charges. It has been debated in the Dáil and Members of Government have spoken with divers tongues on this matters although they have gone into the voting lobby together. This is an important issue and it should be debated in this House.
At the risk of renewing Senator Ross's plea, may I ask for reconsideration. I am not quite sure how the Committee on Procedure and Privileges works, but Standing Orders were changed in the last year or two to allow for the reception of distinguished visitors. I believe there is no more distinguished a visitor than Mother Teresa and I ask the Leader of the House to take whatever steps are necessary to reconsider the——
Senator Quinn has an excellent member on the Committee of Procedures and Privileges in the person of Senator O'Toole.
I will certainly speak to Senator O'Toole.
May I ask the Leader of the House if he would express to the Minister for Foreign Affairs the deep concern of the nationalist community at the recent judgment in the Coalisland case where six British soldiers were declared innocent? This case and the impending British legislation as a result of the recent atrocious bombing campaign by the IRA, may further restrict the activities of Irish people going about their daily business in Britain and between Ireland and Britain. Perhaps this House would have a discussion on Anglo-Irish relations in general. In this context also there is the result of the judgment yesterday in the British court. According to The Irish Press today, Paddy Armstrong of the Guildford Four believes he is being tried again.
You are displaying your papers in the House Senator Mooney.
May I ask if the Minister for Foreign Affairs would facilitate a debate in this House in a spirit of reconciliation, goodwill and generosity.
You have made your point Senator Mooney. I am sure the relevant committee will give it consideration.
The Minister gave an assurance in this House regarding the payments due to people on social welfare benefits and the moneys being paid to the legal profession representing those people. May I ask the Acting Leader to arrange time to discuss this problem as at present 20 per cent of all moneys being paid out are given to the legal profession. Public representatives are not getting the answers obtained by those in the legal profession handling claims. That is unfair and we in this House must start asking questions.
A Chathaoirligh, I do not wish to cut across your reply to Senator Ross. I am aware of the decision taken by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in regard to the invitation to Mother Teresa. The House should ensure that the situation which arose in regard to the invitation will not recur. I know a Chathaoirligh that you would wish to extend an invitation.
Correct. I ask Senator Enright to talk to his own members.
I will. There has been an excellent spirit of co-operation in this House. I hope it will continue and that when someone of Mother Teresa's stature is invited——
The Senator is making a speech and we have had this already. I ruled Senator Ross.
I would not like to see this situation arise again.
Regarding set-aside in agriculture whereby lands that are being left idle or fallow for a number of years in regard to cereal growing, may I ask the Deputy Leader if we can prepare a policy on this matter. The present policy as outlined——
You have made your point Senator Enright.
——will have serious environmental effects and will cause damage if it continues the way it is proceeding at present. It will damage wildlife, animals, insects, birds and so on.
A Chathaoirligh, in view of the concerns expressed by both Senator Ross and Senator Quinn regarding the invitation to Mother Teresa, I am now formally asking you to bring the report of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges before the House. The Committee on Procedure and Privileges is an instrument of this House and in view of the concern which has been expressed, the report should be brought before the House. The suggestion that we should talk to our representatives on the committee implies that because of a sense of duty or loyalty to them we should be silent in regard to a matter that looks like a sorry episode.
There is no report. It was a decision of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. It is not usual or traditional to debate decisions of that Committee. It is a 12 man committee representative of all groups in the House.
Behind closed doors.
May I ask the Acting Leader to provide time to discuss the problems now arising in agriculture whereby some members of the agricultural community are finding it difficult to apply properly for aid from the EC.
I welcome Senator Ross's interest in Mother Teresa and I hope his interest does not stem from difficulties with the Church of Ireland.
Could I ask the Acting Leader of the House to clarify the position regarding the invitation to Mother Teresa?
It is not a matter for the Leader of the House. The Senator has Members on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and should talk to them.
I associate this episode with an insult from the other side of the House.
Regarding the matter of the telephone charges raised by Senator Taylor-Quinn and Senator Sherlock and in relation to the Kilkenny incest report, the Leader of the House is in discussion with the relevant Ministers with a view to arranging debates.
I accept your ruling a Chathaoirligh, that the matter raised by Senator Ross and referred to by other Senators is not a matter for the Leader of the House. Regarding the matter raised by Senator Mooney we will contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs to see if a debate along the lines suggested by Senator Mooney can be arranged.
On the matter raised by Senator Cregan regarding expenses to the legal profession in connection with social welfare cases, there will be an opportunity to discuss this matter under the Finance Bill which will be introduced to the House probably on 9th and 10th of June. We can discuss with the Minister for Social Welfare a suitable motion on that matter. It is also an issue which could be raised in Private Members' Time.
In relation to the matters raised by Senator McGowan and Senator Enright, there is on the Order Paper an unfinished matter relating to the Common Agricultural Policy. Those items can be raised when the debate on the Common Agricultural Policy returns to the House.
Order of Business agreed to.