It is proposed to take items 1 and 2 today. Item 2 will be taken from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. and item 1 will be taken from the end of the Order of Business until 6 p.m. and from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. The principle of this Bill has been fully debated, and I hope we can complete Second Stage today. However, there will be no guillotine; if it has not finished by 10 p.m. we will continue Second Stage tomorrow. I thank the Leader of the Opposition for agreeing to sit late on this matter. I propose 20 minutes per speaker.
Order of Business.
I hope Second Stage will be completed today so that we can take Committee Stage tomorrow.
I thank the Leader for his recent communication on the Order of Business for the next six or eight weeks. I understand that is subject to change, but it allows our spokespersons to be more ready than they have been in recent weeks.
As regards an article in the newspaper today, I ask the Leader to ensure that he keeps the House well informed about any Government decision on TEAM Aer Lingus.
The recent Government statement on forthcoming legislation referred to education Bills. Perhaps the Leader could find out the number of Bills and with what they will deal. I do not expect him to know the answer at this stage.
Will item 2 — statements on the Competition Authority's Interim Report on their Study on the Newspaper Industry — conclude this evening? If so, what are the speaking time arrangements?
I ask the Leader of the House to ask the Tánaiste to express, during his reply to the statements on foreign affairs currently before the House, this country's total abhorrence of the renewed savage Serb attack in Sarajevo. It is unacceptable that this should happen in Europe at this time. It would help if the Tánaiste could use this occasion to show Ireland's unanimous rejection of this situation.
When will the Leader provide time for a discussion on item 13, motion 4, on the Order Paper because this is an urgent matter? I have attended conferences in Belfast, Derry, Strabane and Ballyconnell and concern has been expressed in this regard. I hope the House will have a debate on the funding that is available and that we will give as much guidance as possible to those contemplating making applications for funding, whether it is from the peace fund, the Delors package, INTERREG or the Leader programme. I am close to the people who hope to benefit from this funding and any assistance or guidance which can be given by this House would be appreciated.
What is the present position on the White Paper on mental health? I have raised this matter on a number of occasions and I believe the Minister for Health should have such a paper published and this House should have the opportunity to debate it. At present the psychiatric services are carrying out their functions under legislation enacted over 50 years ago. When we take into consideration some recent developments and happenings, it is totally inappropriate that this should continue for much longer.
I ask the Leader to raise with the Minister for Health the need to bring forward a White Paper on the psychiatric services and the Mental Treatment Act as a matter of urgency.
When does the Leader envisage that the Minister for Enterprise and Employment will come to the House to discuss the cutbacks in the community employment schemes? This is giving rise to a great deal of fear in the community. I raised this issue last week. The Minister should make a statement in the House to clarify the matter. At present, 7,000 people do not know where they stand.
The control of farm pollution grants has been raised a few times. The Government has announced that funding for these grants has been cut. It would be greatly appreciated if the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry could come to the House to clarify the matter.
I support what Senator O'Kennedy said about the situation in Bosnia and the attacks by the Serb forces. There is a motion about Bosnia on the Order Paper — item 13, motion No. 1 — in the name of the Independents. which perhaps could be taken at some stage today. It is of particular concern that the UN commander in the region stated that he was impotent to order air strikes because of the threat of Serb reprisals by rocket against the civilian population. This is clearly a breach of the Geneva Convention. I wonder if any action will ever be taken against these people who are publicly and flagrantly committing war crimes.
I support Senator Kelleher's call for a discussion on the community employment schemes. I am involved in two of these schemes, both of which have been cut back. One of them gave the prospect of employment to 15 young people. It was initially abolished because of an overrun on the grant and was then restored but reduced to employing only three people. This is very disillusioning for young people who were given the impression they were getting employment under this scheme. I would welcome a discussion on the matter.
Would it be possible for the Minister for the Environment and his Minister of State with special responsibility for housing and urban renewal to come to the House, as the Minister for the Marine and his Minister of State did. for statements followed by questions and answers on the recent publication Social Housing — The Way Ahead?
I will make every effort to keep the House informed if there are any developments with regard to TEAM Aer Lingus, I do not yet have specific details on an education Bill but I will try to communicate with Senator O'Toole on the matter.
In relation to Senator Dardis' point. it was intended that there would be a short series of statements on the Competition Authority's report on the newspaper industry. Because a decision on this report will be taken shortly, it was intended that these statements would conclude today. The amount of time for each speaker will be determined by the number of people offering; at present it is envisaged that there will be between ten and 15 minutes for each speaker.
We all agree with Senator O'Kennedy's and others condemnation of the savage attacks by the Bosnian Serbs in Sarajevo.
I have promised Senator McGowan a debate on the matter he raised and I hope to have definite information on the timing before the end of the week. This debate and a debate on Northern Ireland have been promised and will take place.
Senator Finneran has on many occasions raised the question of a White Paper on mental health. I thank him for his interest. The paper is now in the final stages of completion and should be published in the relatively near future. Both the Minister and the Department are very anxious to have it published. and it will contain a number of legislative proposals.
I will convey Senator Kelleher's message to the Minister and I will seek to have a debate on the subject here. As regards Senator Kelly's request, if she does not see the Minister first, I will ask him to come into the House to discuss the question of housing and urban renewal.
Order of Business agreed to.