The House will sit for four days next week and the following week. It is my hope at this stage that the House will rise on Wednesday, 10 July. That is not certain but it is the likely date at this stage. Today's business is items 1 and 2. Item 2 will commence not before 11.45 a.m. If item 1 is still continuing at that time, item 2 will start after item 1. All Stages of item 2 will be taken today.
Order of Business
Is item 1 to be taken first?
Yes. Is there a problem with that?
We were under the impression that item 2 was first this morning, as per the order sent out. However, we will endeavour to organise ourselves to accommodate that change. My colleague from Dublin suggested that there are too many tourists in the city of Dublin. I would like to know when item 27, in relation to tourism, will be back on the Order Paper. I appreciate that we are sitting four days a week in order to ensure that all the legislation the Government would like to have passed before the summer recess is dealt with. However, we would appreciate an opportunity to discuss the whole tourism industry before the recess at the height of the season, arising from Bord Fáilte's announcement last week of its major marketing strategy.
Perhaps I am responsible for the confusion about the timing of the two items this morning. I recall a discussion between the Whips about taking this item. Perhaps while talking about where it would be, I gave people the wrong impression. The view of the Whips was that the passage of the Bill through the House is being facilitated and the Government is saved the embarrassment of not implementing the orders and directives within the two year period required by Brussels. This expires on 22 June. As the Minister was taking amendments on Report Stage, it was important to facilitate her so the Bill could be sent back to the other House, which will create its own problems. My apologies for that.
The issue of amending the law on criminal insanity has been raised on a number of occasions in this House and legislation has been promised by the Minister for Justice. I wish to ask the Leader when we can expect that legislation to be published.
In light of reports in the last couple of days relating to early school leavers and as a member of the National Economic and Social Forum, which is discussing this very subject at the moment, I wonder if the Leader might consider, if not before the recess perhaps very early in the resumption, inviting the Minister for Employment and Enterprise to the House to discuss this matter. Alternatively, the Government might provide time for a discussion on the whole question of early school leaving and the summer jobs scheme, which I know raised some hackles in this House some weeks ago.
I am linking the two because it was brought to my attention during the week by a colleague in my own county that his daughter, who has now become eligible for unemployment assistance as she has reached the required age, received a letter from the Department of Social Welfare outlining in stark detail the reasons why she was now eligible to sign on. The letter quoted the relevant social welfare code and recommended that she should go to her local unemployment office to sign on.
A question on today's Order of Business.
There was no reference whatsoever to the question of whether she should look for a job. This should be discussed.
I have already ruled on that matter. It is more suitable for a question on the Adjournment.
Perhaps there is need, with respect, for a wider debate. The statistics issued yesterday indicate that the proportion of early school leavers is rocketing——
Senator, we are not discussing the matter now.
——which means that there must be a need for a wider debate on this whole question, because Government strategy is now directed in one channel but statistics indicate it should be operating on a different channel. In that context, perhaps the Leader might respond.
Can the Leader ascertain from the Minister for Education if and when the proposed regional education boards are to come on stream? Many people involved in education are interested in these developments. In the context of rationalisation, can the Leader impress upon the Minister for Education the fact that the vocational education committee status quo should be left in situ in Galway city and county. Galway is the second largest county in the country and the adult education projects within both areas are bigger than many other county vocational education committees. Consequently, it would be unwieldy to amalgamate those two vocational education committees.
This matter is more suited to a debate on the Adjournment.
In view of the time constraints in the House, the Leader should impress upon the Minister for Education the strong local feeling that Galway city and county vocational education committees should be left as separate entities in any proposed rationalisation.
Some time ago the Leader agreed that before the summer recess there would be a debate on agriculture. The delay in payment of grants under the control of farm pollution scheme was raised yesterday in the House. In today's Examiner newspaper there is frightening news that 1,000 dairy families could lose their farms because of restructuring of milk quotas for small farmers. Such a debate is essential.
To some extent I agree with Senator Mooney. Can the Leader investigate the situation whereby students who qualified for the summer jobs scheme last year, and whose circumstances have not changed, have received letters indicating they are not eligible for the scheme this year? They have been advised to apply for unemployment assistance. That matter should be investigated.
We are not discussing that matter now.
Yesterday, the Leader outlined a timetable of legislation to be dealt with by the House between now and the recess. I was taken aback that there was no mention of any debate on legislation concerning the White Paper on Mental Health. This is unsatisfactory and we should not go into recess without having such a debate. The Leader should approach the Minister for Health on this matter. The Minister has had the White Paper for nine to ten months and we have been seeking a bipartisan approach in this House. The legislation governing this matter is 50 years old. Senator Honan has raised a matter which is pertinent to this legislation also, so it is high time that we had some action on this. I am asking the Leader to convey my party's annoyance to the Minister, who, hopefully, will be able to accommodate us between now and the summer recess with a debate on the matter.
I support Senators Mooney and Finneran. A sizeable number of young students are currently seeking employment opportunities. The Government is sending out the wrong signal to young people by saying they should sign on for unemployment assistance.
I have already pointed out on a couple of occasions that the matter is more appropriate for an Adjournment debate.
It needs to be said.
It is a serious matter. The Government should encourage young people to take up summer employment as quite an amount of such jobs are available. However, summer schemes and projects cannot go ahead because young people are not available to work on them.
We are not discussing that matter any further.
It is wrong of the Government to encourage young people to sign on for assistance rather than to take up work at this time of year.
What action does the Minister propose to take in relation to people with disabilities? The Minister for Equality and Law Reform established a commission to report to him on persons with disabilities. The commission's report is long overdue and its publication has been postponed about three times.
That matter was the subject of an Adjournment debate last night.
Can the Leader arrange for the Minister for Equality and Law Reform to indicate what his proposals are to deal with this question as well as the important issue of the quota system whereby disabled peopled are entitled to employment opportunities? Government Departments are not meeting their requirements in that regard.
Can the Leader respond to a report by the ISPCC calling for a full investigation into child pregnancies? It was recently announced that a 13 year old girl had given birth. Because of the concerns about the rising number of teenage pregnancies, the ISPCC has called for such an investigation. The figures do not include the number of children who went to England for abortions. The ISPCC has asked that the social services and the Garda should be made aware of any pregnancy involving a child. The society is concerned that incestuous relationships or child abuse might be involved and it wants to make sure such children receive the necessary support. These matters should be investigated and I call on the Leader to respond and to ask the relevant authorities to do likewise.
I apologise to the main Opposition party over the confusion concerning today's Order of Business and I hope that no great inconvenience will be caused. The Government Chief Whip was indisposed yesterday but we are all glad to see him back and restored to full health today. However, when he is away, things sometimes go wrong. I am not blaming him for that, I am blaming myself.
Senator Wright raised the Fianna Fáil motion on tourism, which will be taken next Tuesday after the scheduled legislation. I may discuss a means of extending that debate with the Opposition parties.
Senator Honan raised the question of the law on criminal insanity. I understand that the Bill is at an advanced stage of drafting and will be published before the end of the summer.
Senator Mooney asked for a debate on school leavers. It cannot be arranged for this session but I am amenable to having such a debate early in the next session.
Senator McDonagh raised the question of legislation for regional education boards. That Bill is being drafted, but I understand that quite an amount of consultation is currently going on about its final shape. As things stand, it is expected to publish the Bill in late autumn.
I will give five to one against it.
It has been buried. It is the never, never Bill.
It will not see the light of day. Perhaps in late autumn, 1998.
I would not be averse at the beginning of the next session to having the matter discussed in this House as a guide to the feelings of Senators on this question.
Listen to your backbenchers.
I note Senator McDonagh's point about Galway city and county vocational education committees. I will convey his observations and recommendations to the Minister.
As regards Senator Kiely's point, I am not sure what form it will take but there will be a debate on agriculture before the end of the session. I may discuss the shape it will take with the Senator afterwards.
Senator Finneran raised the question of the White Paper on Mental Health. The heads of that Bill are ready and it is planned to published it in August. Because I am aware of the Senator's deep interest in the subject, I will try to ensure that it is a Seanad Bill so it will be introduced in this House.
Senator Daly raised the questions of summer jobs and disabled people. I will convey his remarks to the Minister, as I will Senator Maloney's remarks on the ISPCC.
Order of Business agreed to.