Today's Order of Business is item 1. By agreement, we will take all Stages. I thank the Opposition for their co-operation.
Order of Business.
I reiterate what was said by my Chief Whip, Senator Fitzgerald, yesterday in relation to the report on fisheries safety. Today's newspapers feature a recent report issued in relation to local authority funding. It is fundamentally wrong that those of us elected to the Houses are reading reports in newspapers. As Senator Fitzgerald said, local radio and newspapers are ringing us for comments and we are not aware of the content of the reports. I ask the Leader to look into this matter. It is not something that has happened overnight. It is fundamentally wrong that reports of national interest are not being circulated to Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
It is difficult to concentrate on anything other than the events that have taken place during the week. On the question of reports, a report has been issued which proposes the abolition or amalgamation of vocational education committees. I do not see the need for the proposal. A report has also been issued on local authority funding. There is an advertisement in the newspapers this morning which suggests that if we have submissions to make on the budget, we make them in a standard format to a Minister of State in the Department of Finance. Is the traditional system of lobbying to be abandoned? It is an important part of our parliamentary system. There seems to be a proliferation of reports at the end of the parliamentary term. The reason for publishing them at that time is to stop discussion of them in the Houses. It is an undesirable development and seems to be a calculated policy. I ask the Leader to ensure that when the House comes back these reports will be discussed and not forgotten.
On the question of the environment, it is a while since the Minister for the Environment has been in the House. The situation in Lough Derg has been described graphically. Algae bloom is causing tremendous problems and tourists are complaining about it. Earlier in the year it was impossible to fish in Lough Cullin; pollution is spreading into Lough Conn. Our major tourist resources are at risk. There have been incidents where individual farmers and businesses have caused fish kills. I am not defending that, but local authorities have a lot to answer. The Minister for the Environment should be here to explain what is being done to prevent these things happening.
I welcome the report of the Commission on the Newspaper Industry. I congratulate the commission on issuing the report so speedily, publishing it on the same lines as Senator Dardis mentioned. It took nine months to complete the report. Would the Leader have a full discussion on this important issue when the House returns?
Senator Dardis has referred to the report which proposes the abolition of 20 vocational education committees. I suggest the Leader gives priority to a debate on this report as soon as possible after the summer recess. This report also proposes a further serious dilution of the role and functions of elected local representatives. Local representatives have always played a major role in vocational education. The success of vocational education has been due, to a great extent, to the seriousness with which elected local representatives undertook their role in relation to it. Will the Leader give priority to a debate on this report when the Seanad resumes after the recess?
I join with colleagues in expressing frustration that not all Members received copies of the KPMG report on local government funding. This report is of absolute importance to local and central government and should be discussed given the present crisis in local government funding in Dublin. I ask that time be made available, perhaps before the end of session, to debate this issue. There is also a need for all-party consensus on this subject. The fact that we face a general election within 12 months does not mean that real progress cannot be made on this important issue.
It is a pity the Government parties cannot agree among themselves.
As we approach the 20th anniversary of the abolition of funding of local government and the rates structure——
A question to the Leader.
——I do not believe Senator Kelleher is in a position to comment when, in 1977, his——
The Senator should read the facts relating to this own party in that regard.
He was only nine years old at the time.
Will the Leader make time available to debate the report issued by the Minister of State at the Department of Social Welfare, Deputy Durkan, which deals with the tax and social welfare systems?
I wish to raise four matters. The Leader will accept that it is absolutely disgraceful news management that three significant reports — the KPMG report, which is a farcical reiteration of reports first published in the 1960s, a report on vocational education committees and a report on the activities of county councils — were leaked to the press this morning. I ask the Leader to ensure that Members receive copies of the report on county councils.
It would not be sufficient to debate the report on vocational education committees following the summer recess. From what I read in this morning's Irish Times, the Minister for Education is attempting to perpetrate an unprecedented and unpardonable piece of educational vandalism. The vocational education committees are an integral part of education in Ireland and form the only democratic unit within the education system. The vocational education committees in County Wicklow and County Kildare are to be forcibly unified, which will make a farce of that system. Will the Leader arrange for Members to receive copies of this report and make time available for a debate on the matter next week?
I also request that the House debate the KPMG report, which is a most important document. It is extraordinary that this report should be leaked. However, every proposition in that document has already been canvassed. The issues of local income tax and local sales tax were canvassed and both were shot down. Members can read the history of the——
That matter is not being discussed on today's Order of Business.
No, we are not. I am merely making the point that the KPMG report reiterates the findings of no fewer than 15 other reports which were all shot down. I wonder about the logic of employing expensive consultants. We should follow the route I proposed on many occasions and sit down together to resolve the issue of local government finances. Will the Leader make arrangements for Members to receive copies of the report and make time available for a debate on its contents?
On a less contentious point, I recently raised the case of Annie Maguire, the Maguire Seven and their compensation claims. The Leader generously agreed that time would be made available for statements on that subject before the House rises. I suggest that, instead of having a specific debate on the Maguire family, there should be a debate on the conclusion of all outstanding compensation claims by Irish people against British injustice. The British Government appointed an individual to oversee these cases but I believe the process has encountered a series of administrative and bureaucratic delays. I suggest that there be as broad a debate as possible on this issue.
I support Senator Mullooly's comments on the vocational education committee report. I was a teacher for many years and it is a shame that a system which has served the country well is under threat from the Minister for Education. It is a great pity that the role of local representatives will be diminished. It is sad to discover that the role played by the vocational education committees in terms of post-leaving certificate courses, VTOS courses and Youthreach courses will also be diminished. This is taking place at a sinister time of the year, when teachers are taking their summer holidays. I request that the Leader invite the Minister for Education to appear before the House to engage in a full discussion on this report, particularly as it relates to the role of public representatives.
I welcome the report on safety in the fishing fleet. It is important that we be afforded an opportunity to discuss this report following the summer recess. I live in a county where lives have been lost at sea. The sinking of the Carrickatine is an example of this, and the bodies of the dead fishermen were never found. It is important that we know the reasons for this. Was it because of negligence on the part of the fishermen or a lack of safety on boats? These matters must be discussed as soon as possible, even if it means appointing inspectors to ensure that such events do not recur and that further lives are not lost.
Senator Wright and Senator Maloney raised the issue of the report on fisheries safety. I apologise to Senator Fitzgerald because this is an important matter. I had undertaken to follow it up but, given recent events, it was pushed back. I will endeavour to discover why the report was not circulated and ensure that it is circulated as soon as possible. I will see if it is possible to make time available for a short series of statements on the subject before the summer recess.
Senator Dardis and others referred to the plethora of reports being issued at present and the leaking of such reports to the press. Members are long enough in politics to realise that leaks do not always originate in the most obvious place. It would not be fair to assume that this leak came from the source which seemed to be implied by Senator Dardis. Nonetheless, I take seriously the responsibility and right of this House to engage in a full debate on any report prepared in the public interest and published at public expense. I will ensure that there will be debates on as many of these reports as possible.
There is much concern about the funding of local government and the issue of vocational education committees. We would be remiss in our duty if we did not have debates on each area because this House has a particular contribution to make on both. It might be better to engage in a structured debate on the funding of local government. Instead of people making statements, we could focus the discussion under a number of headings. I believe this would lead to a much better debate. There should be a similar discussion on the vocational education committees. I doubt if it will be possible to arrange time for these debates before the recess, but I will see if it can be done.
Senator Neville referred to the report of the newspaper commission. I understand that this report was not leaked by the Government, it was leaked by the larger of the major daily newspapers. I do not see anything wrong with this because it is a good report and the sooner the better it enters the public domain. I can state categorically that there was no Government leak in this case. The impetus for that report came in part from a debate in this House when a number of Senators urged the Minister to establish a commission of inquiry. Senator Neville made the point that this commission reported within nine months, which is an extraordinarily short period. Judge Finlay and others are to be complimented on the comprehensive nature of the report and the speed with which it was produced. I asked the Minister if it would be possible to debate that report in the House before the summer recess and his response was positive. If a definite date can be arranged, we will debate the matter within the next number of weeks.
Senator Mullooly raised the issue of the vocational education committees. I will arrange for a debate on that subject at the earliest possible date following the recess. Senator Hayes mentioned the funding of local government. I was interested in the exchange between himself and his colleague opposite on the abolition of rates 20 years ago. I am sure both of them were interested commentators on the subject at that time — they probably discussed little else. There should be all-party consensus on the funding of local government. Those of us who recently attended the annual meeting of the General Council of County Councils in Galway know that all councillors and everyone working in local government realise the urgency of getting agreement on funding, which will lift the burden and allow local authorities to get on with the rest of their work. That debate will take place.
The Senator also mentioned the report published this morning by the Minister of State, Deputy Durkan, on the integration of the tax and social welfare systems. I have spoken to the Minister and he is agreeable in principle to a debate, so we will try to set two to three hours aside for it before we rise.
Senator Roche raised a number of questions and I have dealt with those on education and local government. I have discussed in detail with him the failure of Mrs. Annie Maguire to get compensation and he has been extremely helpful on the matter. The question is not black and white, a complex range of issues are involved. I will discuss with the Cathaoirleach and Senator Roche what might be the appropriate way to raise this question.
I have dealt with the points raised by Senator Ormonde and Senator Maloney.
Order of Business agreed to.