Today's Order of Business is all Stages of item 1, the Trade and Marketing (Promotion) Amendment Bill, 1994; item 2, Statements regarding Local Government Planning Regulations between now and 6 p.m. I am suggesting 15 minutes for spokespersons and ten minutes thereafter on both items. We will take item 42 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Order of Business.
We accept the Order of Business. Last Wednesday the Leader of the House gave us a list of Bills which it is planned to introduce between now and the summer recess. We were very surprised and disappointed that the list did not include the refugee protection Bill; a similar Bill was introduced as a Private Members' Bill on 10 November 1993 and at that time we were promised the Bill by Christmas. The Minister for Justice has said on many occasions that she intends to bring in this Bill but we do not see any evidence of it. When is it intended to bring in this Bill because we are in breach of Article 14 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights by not having the necessary procedures in legislation to deal with political refugees. When is it proposed to introduce this Bill? I ask the Leader of the House to impress on the Minister that we want this Bill introduced before the summer recess.
Last week the Leader gave an undertaking to indicate when time would be made available for a debate on the involvement of elected public representatives in the determination of education policy. I still want that dealt with as soon as possible.
In September 1990, the Irish Government, when they signed the Declaration of the Rights of the Child at the UN in New York, gave a commitment to bring forward proposals on how those rights would be implemented in this country as well as a progress report. The progress report on the implementation of the rights of the child has never appeared.
I raised this issue on a number of occasions. As this is a developed country, the Government is required to do this. I ask that this matter be raised with the appropriate Minister. I do not know who is the appropriate Minister as it was the Taoiseach who signed the declaration. I ask that a Minister come into the House to deal with this matter in the near future.
Last week I was impressed by the list of legislation to be dealt with by this House over the next few months. However, I was not impressed that we met only one day last week and are planning to meet only one day this week. I assume we are going to meet two or three days next week to make up for it.
The Senator can be certain that we will not be sitting three days next week.
We will probably be meeting next Monday.
It has been suggested to me that I am a little naive——
Very naive.
——in not being aware of the political facts of life. Although there is another election — I am sure the dual mandate is far from everybody's mind— I cannot understand why, with so much work to do, we are not competent and confident enough to undertake this work at this time.
I recently suggested some topics we should be debating which are not related to the passage of legislation. The first is the concept of peace-keeping versus peace making in the context of the United Nations. The others include the enlargement of the European Union and banking and currency. I ask the Leader to find time for these debates so they can be discussed when there is not a crisis. I ask the Leader to take account of this in the immediate future.
It is hard to believe that a man of such distinction as Senator Quinn would be so naive; we can only assume that he is being mischievous. The reality is that three Members of the House across all parties are standing in the European elections. The defence and progression of democracy is equally the business of this House and, like Senator Quinn, sometimes we have to prioritise.
As applications for passports are topical, will the Leader of the House ask the Minister for Justice how one can further the cases of those who apply for passports, without having recourse to finance?
I have one for sale. I am prepared to hand it over for £1 million.
I have the case of a young man who attended school and college here and has been working in this country for several years. This young man has no allegiance to any other country from which he could get a passport. I realise that in some families it is considered vulgar to discuss money——
Not in Fianna Fáil.
——but I am sure he is not impecunious; he has a good job. I realise the Minister does not have to give explanations but this person is not the only one in this difficult position.
Does the Senator have a question for the Leader?
I want the Leader to ask the Minister if any reasonable explanation can be given to people who have been residing in this country for 12 to 15 years and still find it impossible to get a passport.
I will pass Senator Henry's concerns about her constituent to the Minister. I am sure she will only be too pleased to enlighten the Senator as to how she should process that file.
With regard to Senator Neville's query on the refugee Bill, the Bills I announced last week were only part of the programme of legislation to be dealt with between now and the summer recess. There is always scope for the inclusion of other Bills and I am confident that the refugee Bill will be one of them. I do not have the timeframe for Senator O'Toole but I will endeavour to get it. Senator Magner answered Senator's Quinn's comments.
I am surprised that the Opposition did not mention yesterday's announcement in Dublin north. I have stood here when other issues of national importance concerning my constituency were raised.
I thought it would be out of order.
I would have thought that the announcement of 2,000 jobs and a £110 million investment over the next five years would have warranted some comment.
Although I am loath to correct the Leader, he has made his point. It does not appear on the Order Paper.
Is it in order to do that?
It is in order.
On a point of order, the Leader is out of order.
Did Deputy Michael Ferris organise that too?
I am surprised it was not mentioned.
Is it in order to do so?
I am sure the House welcomes and congratulates——
I congratulate Deputy Owen, Senator Wright and Senator McGennis.
It is important to congratulate the local management of Motorola and the IDA. On many occasions, I have been asked for a debate on the IDA's lack of performance.
The Senator is pushing it now.
I have something to say about Neodata in Limerick.
One of our most important State bodies——
We should also mention the chairman of Fingal County Council, although his name escapes me.
——is to be congratulated on a remarkable achievement. We should also congratulate the Minister, Deputy Quinn, and many other people, including the Taoiseach who visited Chicago three times in the last seven months to promote and encourage the efforts of the IDA. This is worthy of mention.
It is nice to know that the Taoiseach came home from Chicago on three occasions in the last six months.
Senator O'Toole lost his chance.
I also welcome the jobs in Neodata.
Order of Business agreed to.